(The Star) – Hair dressing salon operators are learning the hard way that gender segregation rules in Kelantan apply to non-Muslims as well. They have had to pay many summonses for allowing their female workers to cut the hair of non-Muslim male patrons, which they thought was permissible.

E-Life Hair Salon manager Ong Lee Ting said she had settled 11 summonses since she opened for business in KB Mall in 2010.

Hairy situation: Ong showing one of the 11 summonses she received for allowing her female employees to cut the hair of non-Muslim male patrons.Hairy situation: Ong showing one of the 11 summonses she received for allowing her female employees to cut the hair of non-Muslim male patrons.

The fines were imposed under Section 107(2) of the Local Council Act by-laws which prohibits a woman from cutting the hair of a man and vice versa regardless of religion.

“I have been paying fines of between RM200 and RM350,” said Ong, who was issued the latest summons on Tuesday.

“I find the by-laws confusing … they should not apply to a non-Muslim woman cutting the hair of a non-Muslim man.”

Gender segregation is among the controversial regulations imposed by the PAS state government, which insists that the rule be also observed at supermarket check-outs.

The last time Ong went to the local council office to pay a compound, she was told that the licence for the salon would be revoked because of the many summonses issued to the operator.

However, council secretary Mohd Anis Hussein said: “As long as they (the salon owners) pay the compounds, they will be allowed to operate.”

He added that the salon owners understood the by-laws and the consequences of ignoring them.

Nice Hair Salon manager Alice Ong Lee Ruong was baffled by the rule.

“I would understand it if we were fined for allowing our women workers to cut the hair of Muslim men. But they were attending to non-Muslim men,” she said.

Ong, who had settled 10 summonses so far, wondered for how long she would have to pay fines.

“They are not cheap and we have to consider the high rental, salaries of our workers and other expenses,” she said.

Another salon manager, who declined to be named, said the council by-laws were making life difficult for hair dressers.

(The Star) – The DAP wants the Kelantan government to intervene in the municipal council by-laws prohibiting women from cutting men’s hair in the state.

Chairman Karpal Singh said he was surprised that the state decided to enforce such a ruling on non-Muslims.

“The state government has publicly declared that Islamic laws will not be extended to non-Muslims. PAS has also stated hudud will only be applied to Muslims.

“There’s a lot of concern among the public on what has happened in Kelantan. If hudud is allowed to be applicable to Muslims, there will come (a time that it will) be extended to non-Muslims,” he told a press conference in Air Itam on Saturday.

He was responding to reports that hair salon operators in the PAS-ruled state were being fined for breaching the by-laws which prohibit a woman from cutting the hair of a man and vice versa.

Karpal Singh said the ruling was unconstitutional and could be challenged in court.

“In fact, it should be challenged in court. Those concerned should not pay the fines. It is unlawful.

“I hope that the PAS leadership will intervene and do something about it as soon as possible,” he said adding that Barisan Nasional should not be presented with issues that it can exploit now that the general election is looming.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Anything and everything BUT ending the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA eh? Karpal has become the Hairdressers/Barber’s Association President or State Chinese Association Prsident now? This sort of case is even below the Chinese or Indian Chamber of Commerce or State Chinese Association to address (while in the same breath, we must be aware that the Chinese or Indian Chamber of Commerce, State Chinese Association, probably can’t even talk about the APARTHEID oF BUMIPUTERA because they do not have parliamentary immunity – maybe a provision for them to also be granted parliamentary immunity?) , but somehow Karpal can’t talk about the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA in spite of parliamentary immunity so this is a great opportunity to look busy while the minoriites remain second class citizens . . . look here ‘Karpal’ if you don’t want to put that Parliamentary Immunity to good use, please give up that decades long seat you’re wasting the Rakyats’s mandate on, to somebody who will use the same to try to end the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA and lack of :

Is Karpal a REAL lawyer and aware of the responsibility of an MP to the people? Most Malays and Muslims, probably also the Sultans know in their hearts that apartheid is wrong and that technically in Islam the APARTYHEID of BUMIPUTERA is ILLEGAL. Why does Karpal not HONESTLY and legally challenge the racists and Islamists on these facts? Self serving much? Too many family members, too many contracts colluded on? So does the rakyat need this kind of MP or perhaps has karpal and Sons family bloc spent too much time hoodwinking the Rakyat? An MP’s job goes far beyond this hair issue, like for Human Rights Articles 1 and 18 . . . do something useful or MP-like, or GTFO of Dewan!

Mediocre! And in overall effectiveness, Karpal is but a decades long malingerer on the taxpayer dollar alongside BN’s racism and corrupted worst …

Indian leaders may jump ship if they are not picked as candidates in the coming general election, says a source.

Infighting, backbiting and sabotaging among Indian leaders in PKR could result in the party losing Indian support at the upcoming 13th general election.

The internal rift among these leaders could also play a role in thwarting Pakatan Rakyat’s ambition of taking over the federal government after the polls. The opposition pact is made of PKR, DAP and PAS.

Speaking to FMT, a PKR source admitted that there would be “major party hopping” among Indians in PKR before and after the general election.

Declining to be named, the source said many Indians in the party were waiting for PKR to officially announce its list of Indian candidates to contest under the PKR banner in the coming general election.

“If their names are overlooked as a candidate, then they would jump ship to the Barisan Nasional or quit PKR without joining anyone… they have already made plans to this effect.”

“Unlike PAS and DAP which have a long tradition and faithful members, PKR is a new set-up. Most of its members are from BN component parties. They ran from there to PKR. They ran because they were sidelined in their respective BN component parties. So when the same thing happens here, they would run again,” said the source.

He said the problem among Indian leaders in PKR is “everyone wants a seat to contest”.

“Of course, both Malays and Chinese in PKR also face the same scenario but Indians are the worst,” said the source, who is very close to the party leadership.

He said PKR Indian leaders in their eagerness to win brownie points have also resorted to “attacking” each other in the mainstream media.

Tip of the iceberg

“Some are sending their supporters to Parliament to lobby for seats. For example, I was told that more than 60 candidate profiles have been submitted for the Bukit Melawati state seat in Selangor despite the incumbent M Mutiah declaring interest in defending the seat.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. The factions in the party are heading for a showdown,” the source said.

He claimed that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had often met party Indian leaders to get feedback on ways to boost Indian support for Pakatan, but not much was done on the ground to put the plans into action.

“But, this is not enough to woo Indian votes. The Indian leaders in the party are not united. If they are, then they can put up a strong front and lobby for votes of the community. There are several camps within the party and each camp is pressuring Anwar for seats.

Mukhriz (centre bottom), is not a Pakatan MP, just included to show possible phenotype similarities between politicians who benefited from nepotism if any . . .

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Indian candidates are you idiots? Who needs to pressure Anwar? Any independent candidate can run for any seat without pressuring anyone. The whole idea of a political party is to keep all MPs captive to the supreme council. Podah!

ARTICLE 4

‘Anwar is an attention seeker’ – Friday, 23 November 2012 Super Admin

Several BN leaders are appalled at Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s attempt to get Australia to observe Malaysia’s general election.

G Vinod, FMT

An MIC leader today chided Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim for seeking attention, especially with his call to Australia to observe the coming general election.

MIC vice-president SK Devamany was referring to Anwar’s move to request the Australian government recently to observe the polls, claiming there were a lot of irregularities in the electoral roll.

However, Australia’s Foreign Minister Bob Carr had rejected the former deputy prime minister’s request, saying they cannot and would not influence how Malaysia runs its election.

“It’s very hard for Australia to do anything about how they’re run, as hard as it would be for Malaysia or another government to have a say in how Australian elections are run.

“We’re not the election authority for Malaysia,” Carr was reported as saying.

Taking Anwar to task, Devamany said that times have changed and the world community is watching each other’s conduct in the information age.

“No point trying to seek attention from other people. They are watching us all the time,” he said.

As for Anwar’s accusation, the deputy minister said that the Barisan Nasional government is transparent and the former could always voice his grouses to the EC.

“He can always use his position as the opposition leader to get things done. But being the attention seeker he is, Anwar will devise new tactics to keep himself relevant.

“No wonder some Pakatan Rakyat leaders are seeking PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to become prime minister if the opposition bloc wins the federal polls,” said Devamany.

Risk of being colonised again

Echoing Devamany’s sentiments, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president M Kayveas said that it was dangerous to get foreign powers to be involved in Malaysia’s election.

He also said that with foreign powers’ aid, the party benefiting from them would be indebted to the former and thus, put Malaysia at risk of being “colonised” again.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

To prevent the colonisation factor, NO foreign government based groups people should to be invited keep tabs on the elections, BUT *ELECTION WATCHDOG GROUPS* from foreign and Australian and other non-Western governments should instead. In fact Australian Elections and other Western nations could do with foreign watchdog groups from other countries ESPECIALLY those not particularly friendly to Australia, to prevent fifth columnists manipulating votes to the favour of their own government. Who knows what collusion goes on between governments these days? Foreign governments cannot monitor without compromising the sovereignty of the monitored state.

Instead, unaffiliated to government/unfunded by government civil society WATCHDOG NGOs favouring opposition would be safest. Anwar thus could be in cahooots with the current majority Australian government with the same feigning disinterest. Now if watchdog groups unfriendly to their respective foreign governments were to be called on as monitors, having nothing to gain, these groups would be the most objective choice. This accusation could be avoided simply by Anwar contacting non-mainstream foreign monitors instead. As for attention seeking, 2 terms as MP limits should put paid to that sort of thing once and for all. For expedience, Anwar could be tolerated for now, but the next great purging of politicians will not be those corrupt, opaque and racist (BN era) but those NEPOTISTIC and TERM LIMITLESS (PR era). This would be true progress then to prevent a Mubarak, Gaddafi or Ali Salleh from forming out of term limitless Anwars and Lim Kit Siangs or whatever groups.

(Bernama) – Lawyer Karpal Singh, acting for applicant Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, told the High Court here Friday that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 had completely prohibited the right to assemble, by way of street protest.

The senior lawyer said the provision under Section 4(1)(c) was not intended to “restrict” but more to “prohibit” the right to assemble.

“Any street protest, actually, was a moving assembly and the Act should not completely prohibit it,” contended Karpal by pointing out on the provision of Section 4(1)(c) of the Act, which he argued, was inconsistent and contravened with the provision of Article 10 (1)(b) of the Federal Constitution.

He said the Act defined a street protest as an assembly that was in movement.

“Even Article 10(1)(b) clearly stated that all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably, without arms,” he noted.

He further submitted that the word, ‘restriction’, should be interpreted as reasonable restriction as stated in Article 10, and the constitution was the supreme law of the country.

“Any law passed after Merdeka Day, which is inconsistent with the constitution, should be declared void,” said Karpal, who urged Justice Kamardin Kashim to allow Anwar’s application with costs.

Kamardin set Nov 30, for respondent (prosecution) to reply to the applicant’s submission Friday.

In a related development, Anwar’s co-counsel, Ram Karpal Singh, said if the court ruled in Anwar’s favour, one of the charges under the Peaceful Assembly Act would be dropped, leaving only two charges still pending at the Sessions Court.

Anwar, 64, together with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, 48, and Rembau PKR branch chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin (third accused), 34, were charged last May 22, with taking part in street demonstrations which allegedly led to chaos in the city.

The three also faced a second charge of conniving with Tangam Raju, Rajesh Kumar Gejinder and Farhan Ibrahim, by inciting them to remove steel barricades at Jalan Raja here on the same day.

They are the first to be charged under Section 4(2)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, which carries a fine of up to RM10,000, upon conviction.

Last July 2, the trio were charged with conspiring with Tangam, Rajesh, Farhan and five or more supporters of ‘Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 3.0)’ to defy a magistrate’s court order dated April 26, against holding a rally at Dataran Merdeka from April 28 until May 1, this year.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Excuse me. No citizen needs to ‘assemble’ or riot IF our worthless waste of time nepotistic term limitless MPs (Karpal included) make the effort to end Bumiputra Apartheid or are not corrupt. This assembly thing is USELESS and has no weight legally. The wishes of 26 million Malaysians could be stopped by 222 self serving nepotistic and term limitless MPs simply because not enough Malaysians dare to be independents, there is always 3rd Force but even 3rd Force must respect term limits and preferably allow 1-Man-1-Vote systems in ratifying laws or at least ratifying laws on a district by district level.

An MP legally challenging the inequality and apartheid has more weight than 26 million Malaysians illegally marching. Is Karpal a false flag MP? Any and all Malays and other minorities who believe in neutrality and equality by changing the ILLEGAL and DISCRIMINATIVE Constitutional clauses and laws should give term limitless farces like Karpal here the boot. I’d DROP the right to peacefully assembly in exchange for ending APARTHEID and the below 3 items. Now think, which MP is worth voting for. The one who gives you the ‘right to assemble‘ which is the ‘precursor to riot‘ (there is nothing assembling can do, so frustrated assemblers end up RIOTING) but has no effect on policy, or the MP who grants equality and end of apartheid on your behalf so you do not need to march?

Previously, we reported how Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s oppositions leader has been “framed” with several sex tapes HERE.

While Anwar Ibrahim has denied he is the porn star featured in those sex tapes, it’s very obvious these explicit videos which you can watch below and read more here, are either recorded or simply made up and released with only one thing in mind … Political Assassination.

It’s designed to end the political career of Anwar Ibrahim and to kill the fragile oppositions of Malaysia,which is fighting to boot out the legacy government left behind by Asia’s most corrupt dictator, Mahathir Mohamad, and allegation that can never be proven simply because everything including the judiciary is answerable to only one man in Malaysia ie. the Prime Minister … and yes, it’s that absurd.

The country is currently helm by son of an ex-premier, who himself is laden with all sort of scandalous allegations including corruption and even … MURDER !

I love Malaysia.

Below is the latest “satire” from a pro-government newspaper (Fact: all newspaper in Malaysia are required by law to report only pro-government news. There is no press freedom in Malaysia.)

Go here if you just wanna know more about the sex scandal.

Swimming against the tide

By Joceline Tan @ Star Malaysia

The free Rolls Royce offer to any Anwar Ibrahim look-alike out there has gone unclaimed and US experts have verified the sex video to be authentic. What now for the leader of the Opposition?

NOBODY has claimed the Rolls Royce that is currently stretched out like a sexy lady on the porch of Zamil Ibrahim’s house.

The former PKR politician does not see anyone coming forward now that the country’s most talked-about sex video has been found to be authentic.

Zamil, who is now the Kedah chief of the new political party Kita, said he decided to put his prized wheels on the line because he became sick and tired of hearing claims that the man in the video was merely someone who looks like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Posh car: No takers for the sleek and beautiful Rolls Royce which is still sitting on the porch of Zamil’s house in Kedah. Inset: Zamil who loves the Rolls Royce.

“I couldn’t take any more of the nonsense that it was an Anwar look-alike,” he said.

Zamil loves the beautiful vintage Rolls the way some Malay men love their second wives. Nevertheless, he was prepared to hand over the Rolls to the person whom Anwar’s supporters claimed had been the Anwar look-alike in the video. It was one of those droll manoeuvres loaded with political irony.

But deep down, Zamil is relieved the car will remain his. It is very similar to the Rolls Royce owned by no less than Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud except that Zamil’s is in better condition. The engine purrs, the dashboard gleams with polish and the leather seats are in a plush taupe.

Just a fortnight ago, a Chinese friend borrowed the car for his son’s wedding. Zamil loaned the car plus his own driver because he did not want unfamiliar hands at the wheel.
Up against the wall: The sex video episode has reached a pivotal point and Pakatan parties are preparing to move on without Anwar who is seen here officiating at a new PKR branch in Kubang Pasu, Kedah.

There has been no love lost between Zamil and Anwar since the day Zamil claimed he was played out by Anwar over a position in PKR. Unfortunately for Anwar, Zamil does not take broken promises lightly and his quest for vengeance is far from over. A few days ago, Zamil lodged a police report on the police report that Anwar made to deny that he is the man in the video. Zamil’s contention is that Anwar had lodged a false police report.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the sex video scandal exploded back in March. The so-called Datuk Trio comprising Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik, Datuk Eskay Abdullah and Datuk Shuib Ismail has been charged and convicted. Expert opinion from the US is that the video is genuine and the man in it was reported to be “99.99% Anwar.”

End of story? Not quite – the end is still nowhere in sight for this controversial sex video.

“We have passed the climax but this thing has the look of an epic,” said film-maker and Umno blogger Syed Azidi Syed Aziz, who is better known by his blogging name Kickdefella.

Talk is rife of a few more videos in the wings, as well as an explosive photograph. The Datuk Trio is not the sort of people you would want to fool around with, as PKR politician and Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul has learnt.

Johari, who was among the first people the Trio invited to view the video, recently found himself the collateral damage in the controversy. Johari has been going about denying that it is Anwar but last week, the PKR side released a video which featured Johari rubbishing the Trio and the sex video. His account was obviously timed to coincide with the Trio’s court conviction.

The Trio reacted by unleashing footage of Johari watching the sex video during which he appeared to acknowledge that it was Anwar. Johari did not come out very well from it and, if he knows better, this was just a warning from the Trio.

They obviously have more stuff than what has been seen to date given how cocksure they have been about their claims and actions as well as their willingness to swear on the Quran in the mosque.

But whether the Trio comes up with more of the same is not going to matter very much from now.

The sex video episode has reached a pivotal point with the conviction of the Trio and the authentication of the video. For months, Pakatan politicians had challenged the authorities to charge the Trio, and their conviction has taken the fire out of Pakatan’s artillery.

Pakatan politicians have generally ducked the issue of whether the video was authentic or fake. Only one DAP politician had called for the video to be authenticated. He was quietly asked to shut up and no other Pakatan figure has since made such demands.

Their standard line of defence has been that this is “politik lucah” or vulgar politics while PAS took the Islamic and diplomatic way out by insisting that such cases require four witnesses. Very few of them have put their reputation on the line to say that it is not Anwar. Johari is one of them.

But there are still people out there who do not want to accept that the video is authentic despite the tests and analyses by the academic institute in the US.

At the same time, not all of those who agree that the man is Anwar approve of the entrapment. They feel that political victory or defeat should take place via a political contest rather than through sex traps.

But it is increasingly difficult for Pakatan and especially PKR politicians to go on insisting that it is not Anwar.

When asked about this, a PKR official would only say: “Let the public decide whether they believe the 99.99% finding.”

Some people think Anwar is finished. Actually, he is far from finished but fewer people now think he is going to be the next Prime Minister – or even that he is Prime Minister material.

A serious matter

“Non-Muslims regard this as a private matter. But for us Muslims, it is a serious thing. I haven’t seen the video but my friends have seen it and they can decide for themselves,” said a top PAS figure.

Anwar’s problem is the growing element of doubt among the swing group, especially the Malay middle ground. The hardcore supporters on either side will remain where they are; it is the swing group that Pakatan has to be worried about.

Anwar probably feels it when he goes on the ceramah circuit. The crowds are there but he knows they are also checking out his belly, his chest and even his nose as they are listening to him. Fortunately, his stomach is quite flat now that he has lost so much weight and is looking rather gaunt.

The sex video, for one, has been a top topic at the ceramah series organised by the Pasir Salak division. Umno ceramah can be quite boring affairs but this one not only had the crowd’s attention but had them tickled too.

At one ceramah, the speaker said that given the sex-related incidents associated with the opposition leader, “the whole thing is beginning to look like a hobby.”

“Hobbies are okay, but people with this type of hobby, it’s better they don’t try to become the Prime Minister,” said the speaker.

Another speaker said: “Many of us have seen the video, the experts have said it is real, we know it’s him, what else is there to argue. Only the PAS leaders are still arguing as though they know everything, as if they were in the bedroom, under the bed.”

The ceramah series is the brainchild of Pasir Salak Umno politician Dr Faizal Tajuddin who wanted to counter and neutralise the string of ceramah by PAS, which has been parading its latest celebrity recruit, Bob Lokman, the Malay rocker who said he joined PAS because he wanted to go to heaven.

The main target is PAS but the sex video is one of the bullets being used by Dr Faizal’s team.

Many are also waiting to see whether Anwar’s wife and daughter, both politicians, will come forward to defend him again now that the video has been vetted as genuine. The family is said to have been in turmoil since the video surfaced in March but they have no choice but to keep up a united front.

It is quite clear by now that Anwar needs Pakatan more than Pakatan needs him. He was a superhero in the aftermath of March 2008 but Pakatan is now shouldering him through his personal problems.

Anwar’s nemesis, Kita president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, put it quite bluntly when he said the opposition has been “utterly compromised” by Anwar and that the latter is “destroying the credibility of the opposition.”

Zaid was equally critical of the authority’s handling of the sex video, describing it as “foolish and clumsy”, all of which added up to what he described as “the tragedy of Malaysian politics.”

Pakatan leaders know it as well. Privately, they are already talking of a revived role for Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah in the near future. Dr Wan Azizah has been playing the role of dutiful wife rather than PKR president but Pakatan leaders are ready to accept her if Anwar is indisposed.

“Kak Wan will still lead. We can work with her even though she is not up to mark,” said the same PAS figure.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is experienced and capable but the Pakatan leaders are still uncomfortable with him. Rising star Nurul Izzah is ambitious but still very green and her haste to be noticed has seen her mired in embarrassing boo-boos such as claiming that the Malaysian submarine could not dive whereas it has dived to its maximum depth off the coast of Sabah with no less than the King onboard.

Recently, Anwar claimed he had the clout to call off the Bersih rally if he wanted to, implying he was still in charge. The rally’s figurehead leader Datuk S. Ambiga immediately shot back that the rally is on.

It was a slap in the face for Anwar. The Bersih rally is basically a PAS show and it is the clearest sign that Anwar’s centrestage placing in Pakatan politics has been hijacked by PAS.

Moreover, the new PAS battle cry is “PAS ganti Umno”, the implication being that PAS has the ability to replace Umno and that can only mean one thing – PAS is positioning itself to dominate in the general election and claim the Prime Ministership.

Pakatan parties are preparing to move on without Anwar. His role as an intermediary between PAS and DAP is quite redundant now that the Erdogans are in charge in PAS. The Erdogans speak the same political language as DAP leaders and they can sit at the same table with DAP.

There is even talk that if Anwar cannot defend Permatang Pauh in the next general election, Nurul Izzah will go there since the election law disqualifies Dr Wan Azizah from contesting a seat which she resigned from.

The days when Anwar could walk on water are over. He is swimming against the current.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

This is an old article, but lookalikes can be easily created given the amount of funds BN has. They could get the nearest looking lookalike ‘Anwar’ add abit of plastic surgery or anyone in the opposition and make them do all kinds of porn for release in the internet EVERY week or make the fakes ‘say things’ that are politically destructive which will be presented as insider records etc.. Chua Soi Lek could have been smart enough to dodge the bullet but chose to be honest, bravo, but a person who would be honest about invasion of privacy vids, yet not want to challenge apartheid is an oxymoron of sorts. As for Pakatan, the problem still stands and very clearly that Pakatan is a CLOSED party. I have at least tried quite indirectly to sound Pakatan out, and noted the extreme fear and prevention of ‘outside’ forces taking over. Then after Pakatan’s sacrifice of Teo Beng Hock, perhaps was best that some of us were not invited to join anyway. After doing the scrimmage work, the least that some politicians could have done was not betray their would-be supporters to the psychiatric establishment . . .

2 sides of the same Rakyat oppressive coin?

We’d be better off setting up a 3rd Force party to remove the cynical apartheid tolerating hudud accepting guys with similar looking wives (Betty and Rosmah might as well be the same person), drop 50% of DAP’s nepotists I say . . . those undemocratic creeps are very harmful to the country, as is any who are term limitless and nepotistic and refuse to make clear on :

;while touting Hudud or an Islamist party PAS par excellence Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. These Islamists are all the same IMHO, when courting the voters, they say nice things but after gaining power, they turn all Islamist and start persecuting everyone. MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP however have entirely failed to seperate from BN to lead 3rd force which I list below :

Proposed 3rd Force Party

End the APARTHEID and drop the racists. or get the racists to drop apartheid if BN wants GE13. Other than that, the mandate which is unused as of now would likely become Pakatan’s, a much worse option in many ways.

ARTICLE 7

Pakatan must do more for Penang Malays – Saturday, 24 November 2012 Super Admin

The Malays in Penang want a Malay Deputy Chief Minister to look after their interests

To this, the congress’ president Rahmad Isahak said it was becoming clear that both PKR and PAS have failed to maintain Pakatan Rakyat’s hold on the Malays.

Hawkeye, FMT

The Penang Malay Congress has called on DAP to consider appointing a Malay to become the next Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) I if the present leader, PKR’s Mansor Othman, relinquishes the post in favour of contesting a parliament seat.

The rumour mill is working overtime in Penang now since PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim announced last week that Mansor, a party vice-president, will contest the Nibong Tebal parliament seat.

The seat is presently held by Tan Tee Beng who had won the seat under the PKR banner in 2008 but has since become an Independent.

Anwar declined to comment on whether Mansor will be allowed to defend his present Penanti state seat on the mainland.

To this, the congress’ president Rahmad Isahak said it was becoming clear that both PKR and PAS have failed to maintain Pakatan Rakyat’s hold on the Malays.

Moving Mansor out of Penang, stengthens the congress’ belief that Pakatan is concerned about the Malay ground here and confirms that the Malay electorate is disappointed with them, Rahmad said.

Mansor has been underfire for the last three years for failing to champion Malay issues well, and he is often seen as being subservient to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

To arrest an alleged decline in Malay support, Rahmad said Pakatan needs to revamp its present leadeship allocation.

A Malay DAP candidate, who wins in the next election, should instead be made the DCM I as this will demonstrate to the people that the party is committed to the Malays, Rahmad said.

Talk is that Penang DAP will consider fielding at least two Malay candidates here to challenge the perception among the Malay community that it is a Chinese party.

DAP’s failure to field any Malays may also give rise to a number of independent candidates – sponsored by Malay civil groups where 23 organisations have sprouted up in Penang since 2008.

Rahmad said the Malays in Penang have become restless due to the inability of the DAP-led state government to effectively address their socio-economic issues.

The community’s grouses are over the lack of affordable housing, erosion of their heritage and culture values, made worse by the demolition of traditional villages on the island and the lack of quality jobs despite a record number of fresh investments.

“If you ask a critically minded Malay if they support Pakatan, they remain speechless. It is not because Pakatan failed them, it is because the issues of the community has gone unnoticed by the inexperienced government for the past four years.”

The Malay dilemma

The Malays are now venting their anger on PKR and PAS for failure to convince DAP over the critical need to look at the community’s issues.

Even during Barisan’s era, the Malay community here has been stirring up issues and expressing their anger, Rahmad said in an interview.

The Malays are in a dilemma here because if they support Pakatan, there is a preception out there that their issues will not be effectively resolved unless a strong-willed Malay leader is appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister I, Rahmad said.

On the other hand, it is pointless to support Umno as the party is part of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which is finding it increasingly difficult to regain acceptance in Penang, he said.

;so that the minorities will not care what race the CM is. Frankly Penang has had a minority CM for too long, on the other hand ALL OTHER Sultanate led STATES have had Malay MBs for too long as well. The door swings both ways . . .

ARTICLE 8

Najib: Change can happen with the same government – by Ida Lim – November 24, 2012

Najib addresses the crowd at the Barisan 1 Malaysia gathering at the Putra World Trade Centre who respond by raising one finger. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — A change in government is not necessary for changes in the country, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) is ready to change, said Najib, who is also chairman of the 13-member coalition.

“… BN is not a party that is inflexible. We are ready to change.

“Change can happen in our country and we have proven that not necessarily we change government, but we can bring big change with the same government,” Najib said at the Barisan 1 Malaysia gathering at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

He also hinted that the government may give more cash handouts to the people if the country is well-managed.

He was speaking about the government’s financial aid to the working class and other sections of society, such as giving out tyres to taxi drivers and cash handouts to singles under the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) 2.0 scheme, before hinting that more handouts were possible.

“Boleh lagi. We (can) give more in the future with the condition that our country is managed well.

“And all these we are able to do because in the past four years, we have proven that this is not an empty promise…” Najib said.

;no change can be expected. BN has the mandate to grant the above now. Why has BN not used that mandate to grant the above? This proves there will be no change. The above 3 items cost nothing to implement.

NOV 19 — Unless appropriate formal and equitable engagement mechanisms are put in place, civil society will be not be in a position to effectively advocate for and ensure the protection of human rights in the region. This is the lesson to be gleaned from the adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) yesterday (November 18) during the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The inability of civil society organisations (CSOs) to meaningfully engage with members of ASEAN over the establishment of institutional and normative human rights frameworks to date explains the limited effectiveness of their advocacy in securing a real protection mechanism for the people of ASEAN.

Much of the discussion emerging from yesterday’s release of AHRD has focused on the criticism by CSOs over the lack of adherence to international human rights standards and the rejoinder by ASEAN governmental representative that the tone of the current AHRD is what is politically feasible now within the regional grouping. But the root problem remains the lack of access of CSOs to the inter-governmental process that has crafted institutional mechanisms and the AHRD.

Over the last two years, CSOs seeking to advance the protection of human rights in the nascent ASEAN human rights regime have been confronted with a regional association and member governments that are still deeply wedded to the principle of non-interference and the primacy of national laws.

Beginning with the ASEAN Charter in 2008, which promised the establishment of a human rights body, CSOs have been pressuring member governments to adopt a mechanism that would speak to international standards and include a protection mechanism. At each step towards formalising a regional mechanism, for example in 2009 in the run up to the drafting of the Terms of Reference for the AICHR and now in 2012 in the drafting of AHRD, CSOs have tried their level best to engage with ASEAN but in vain.

On the adoption of the ADHR in Phnom Penh on November 18, CSO criticisms of the declaration continued unabated. While Singapore’s Representative to the AICHR, Chang Heng Chee, hailed the advent of the “peer-review” mechanism and the ADHR as “the best that could be done” in the social and political context, the CSO exclusion from the process of crafting a human rights regime remains a blatant fact.

Some 60 CSOs wrote to ASEAN leaders requesting the postponement of the signing given serious flaws in the document. Echoing strongly their comments, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, also called for the same and has stated: “I am surprised and disappointed that the draft declaration has not been made public and that civil society has not been consulted in the drafting of the document.”

Poignant criticisms have pointed to AHRD failings to meet existing international standards and the risks of creating a sub-standard level of rights protection in the region.

Pillay has cited as an example the provision on the right to life which, she said, should not be contingent on domestic laws that can be used to justify state-sponsored violence. Further, ASEAN governments want the enjoyment of rights to be balanced with the “performance of duties” and be subject to “national and regional contexts”.

Rights in the region therefore stand to be restricted on a wide range of grounds, including “national security” and “public morality”. The declaration is further criticised for having too many loopholes that may permit states to bypass international standards. Even Surin Pitsuwan, speaking at the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, admitted: “This document can be improved upon.”

On such substantive matters critical to the well-being of all ASEAN citizens, CSOs have been confronted with ASEAN member-states’ strategy of selective and limited engagement with CSOs to date over the establishment of a human rights regime in the region. The entire project of crafting a human rights regime is pursued purely as an inter-governmental activity.

With no institutionalised mechanism for consultation, CSO engagement has only been accommodated on a piece-meal basis and only because of the tireless advocacy, persistence and pressure by regional CSOs. This state of affairs has neutralised CSOs’ ability to advocate successfully for the protection of human rights in the region.

Such a purely inter-governmental approach is entirely out of step with how inter-governmental organisations such as the UN, the EU and the OAS conduct their own inter-governmental activities. In those mechanisms civil society is mainstreamed into the human rights processes.

In addition to concern over core substantive dilemmas — the lack of real protection of human rights and the failure to meet international standards — the real subtext is the fact that civil society has not been mainstreamed as it should be. Lack of such mainstreaming undermines ASEAN’s own call for a more people-centred community.

Civil society organisations, which have historically played a vital role in advancing the protection of human rights globally, and the media (traditional and new), must continue and intensify their push for more transparency in the ASEAN human rights regime, for the respect of international commitments already binding upon ASEAN states, for the respect for universal standards under the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and for real protection of fundamental rights.

When it comes to the development of human rights in the region, the lack of genuine consultation with CSOs by ASEAN’s member governments reflects the marginalisation of one of the important sectors within the member states. A formal consultation mechanism is vital to the protection of human rights in the region and to the creation of a more people-centred ASEAN.

* Drs James Gomez (Thammasat University) and Robin Ramcharan (Queen’s University Center for International Relations) are authors of the paper “The Protection of Human Rights in Southeast Asia: Improving the Effectiveness of Civil Society Advocacy”.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

At very least allow ALL activites for registered persons in restricted zones for a start.

From the Biblical book of Proverbs (15.33), it says: “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honour.”

The Qur’an (7:94) reads as follows: “Whenever We sent a Prophet to a society, We took up its people in suffering and adversity, in order that they might learn humility.”

One seeking honour must have an attitude of humility and recognising his responsibility to others must be his priority. One such personality among the ordinary citizens is the incumbent PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang.

In his speech at the recent 58th Muktamar PAS in Kelantan, he said, “To become the prime minister is not my aim in politics. I would rather be a slave to the people.”

Be that as it may, the consensus among Pakatan allies is that Anwar Ibrahim will be made the prime minister in the event of the coalition taking over Putrajaya in the 13th general election. Of course, this is not going to make UMNO’s supreme mentor, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, happy.

And Anwar – with his credentials, experience and international exposure – is considered by majority Malaysians to be the most qualified man to head the government.

Becoming a leader is a huge responsibility

As a devout Muslim, Hadi is aware that becoming a leader is a huge responsibility (amanah). As such, he said that “let a prime minister be a person from among those entrusted by the rakyat, who could carry out his duty in good conscience and is blessed by God”.

This unmistakeably testifies that PAS advocates the principle of democracy in politics and the tussle to become the prime minister if Pakatan takes over Putrajaya in the next election does not exist at all.

In fact, according to political observers, there is no issue of any political scrimmage within the Pakatan coalition on the issue of who shall become the prime minister. The understanding on this issue has been generally accepted by all the three parties in Pakatan – PAS, PKR and DAP.

PAS and Pakatan Rakyat are not facing a dearth of leaders. Within PAS there are many among them who have a good religious background, are professional and also well-versed with the economy that could be entrusted to lead the nation.

Notably among them are scientist-cum-economist Dzulkefly Ahmad the Member of Parliament for Kuala Selangor, former deputy governor of Bank Negara, economist and consultant Rosli Yaakop and former Menteri Besar of Perak Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, a Member of Parliament and engineer by profession.

Unpretentiousness is the ethos found among PAS leaders. Political pundits have this to say: Even if a leader from PAS is appointed as prime minister this will not be a cause to worry among the non-Muslims. At present two states in the country have Menteri Besar from PAS – Kelantan and Kedah.

They have performed relatively well in the economic governance of the states even though they come from a religious background.

Nizar was chosen

But the best narration that could allay the fears of non-Muslims over PAS is that of what ensued in Perak in 2008. On 8 March 2008, the Pakatan Rakyat coalition in Perak won 31 seats of the 59 seat Perak State Assembly, which enabled it to form the state government with a simple majority.

The DAP commanded the most seats out of the 31 seats held by Pakatan Rakyat and were initially the claimants to the post of Menteri Besar. However, the Perak State Constitution stipulates that the menteri besar must be of Malay descent, and a non-Malay could only be appointed by a royal waiver by the Perak Palace.

To resolve this, all three parties sent their nominations for the menteri besar post to the Regent of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah. Reluctant Nizar was chosen over Ngeh Koo Ham of the DAP and Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi of PKR on 12 March 2008 and he sworn in on 17 March 2008 at Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar.

Nizar from PAS ended up working harmoniously with all the coalition members and proved himself to become a popular menteri besar although his stint as the chief of Perak government was short-lived (17 March 2008 – 12 May 2009). This was after a controversial takeover of the State by Barisan in 2009 when three Pakatan assemblymen left the coalition to become Barisan-friendly.

On 11 May 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Sultan could not constitutionally remove Nizar from office, and that Nizar had always been the rightful menteri besar. However, Nizar at the end of the day lost the legal proceedings when, in February 2010, the Federal Court ruled Zambry Abdul Kadir from Barisan to be the lawful menteri besar.

In the same year Nizar from PAS won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election with a thumping victory over the Barisan candidate (Ismail Safian) that made him a member of parliament. He clinched the support of Malays and majority non-Malays in the by-election.

Nizar proved himself as a capable and well-liked menteri besar by all the races in Perak though he represented PAS – an Islamic party. He proved himself that he could handle the state with humility, integrity and fairness.

Thus, a PAS man becoming a leader of a state or nation should not become an issue in multi-racial and democratic Malaysia.

Chua Soi Lek as prime minister

Mahathir, in a media report, was cynical when he proposed that Karpal Singh – DAP Chief, a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament – be chosen as the prime minister in the case Pakatan wins the next general election. This must be akin to suggesting Chua Soi Lek, the MCA President to become the prime minister within the Barisan rank.

By virtue of Mahathir’s statement, if Karpal can become the prime minister of Malaysia there is no wrong then for Chua to be elevated as prime minister in Barisan. Perhaps, UMNO under their supreme guru, Mahathir, can ponder over this matter.

Mahathir insinuated that Pakatan is fractious when it comes to the appointment of a prime minister. Political observers opine that the man Mahathir fears most in life is Anwar. Anwar was ousted from the party in 1998 when Mahathir sensed that he would be sent to the political bin if he did not act fast enough on his ambitious nemesis.

Of course, Mahathir will be the most despondent man on earth if Anwar becomes the next prime minister of the country.

The country is now blessed with a two-party system and this bodes well for the people. There may be some minor differences in Pakatan as opposed to major squabbles in UMNO and Barisan.

UMNO has virtually decimated MCA, MIC and Gerakan by its Malay-centric approach to politics and is now all alone against the mounting crusade from Pakatan against Barisan.

The split in UMNO

Pakatan associates have not split to the extent of forming PKR Baru, DAP Baru or PAS Baru just to chase for the prime minister’s post.

In 1987, for the first time in twelve years, the incumbent President, Mahathir, was challenged by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the Presidency of UMNO. There was a forceful campaign to win the support of the approximately 1,500 delegates from party branches all over the country, who came to elect the party officers.

Some were even accused of money politics during the intense campaigns to decide who would be the president of UMNO and subsequently the prime minister of the country.

The official results declared Mahathir the winner, with 761 votes to Razaleigh’s 718. There was a major split in UMNO after that episode all because of “a prime minister’s post”. The vanquished was not happy and brought the matter to the Court.

UMNO was later declared as an illegal entity by the Court for having some “phantom” branches.

Soon after, UMNO Baru was born – laboriously “delivered” by Mahathir – and Razaleigh left UMNO to form Semangat46. This split in UMNO has remained until today. And Razaleigh until now has not given up his hope to become the prime minister.

As Hadi said, “Becoming a leader is not because one desires to become one. It must be with the blessings of God and with the consent and support of the majority”.

Buzz is now steeping

There are many more senior UMNO proponents tussling, including the Perkasa Chief who is ambitious, to become or be made the prime minister. The incumbent Deputy UMNO President, Muhyiddin Yassin, has his own supporters who would want him to challenge Najib Abdul Razak – the present yet to be endorsed UMNO president – to become the prime minister and this buzz is now steeping in the party.

And Mahathir will not leave this world a happy man until he could be assured that his son Mukhriz is in line to the throne as well. Ambitious Khairy Jamaluddin – UMNO Youth Chief who holds no ministerial post and is more noted for his penchant for football than the welfare of UMNO – who is not in the good book of Mahathir and Najib is also very keen to become prime minister.

It was reported that Khairy did at one time boast that he wanted to become the prime minister before the age 40. His hope however is dashed under the present UMNO set-up.

Another point that should be highlighted here is that money politics has become the malady affecting UMNO party members who have been jostling up the political ladder since 1981. This mucky, corrupt and irreligious norm is not found in PAS, PKR or DAP.

More perceptible within UMNO

Pro-UMNO media is playing up the issue as though Pakatan is split over the choice of a prime minister in the event of Pakatan winning the next general election but this is a non-issue to the non-Malays as well as the Malays.

UMNO and its supreme but unpopular advice-giver have failed to unnerve those who might be concerned about Pas leading a new federal government.

In a nutshell, all the hankering and throbbing to become prime minister is more perceptible within UMNO than any of the Opposition party.

Of course Hadi in a humble way “welcomed” the sincere proposal by the Ulama Wing Chief – a polite gesture on Hadi’s part to please the enthusiastic participants – that he be chosen to become the prime minister.

But wisdom prevailed in him, as he was quick to qualify that his aim in politics was not to become a prime minister. He even warned the participants of the risks of being desperately ambitious in politics.

He then aptly said, “Leadership is a huge trust and a big responsibility. Whoever becomes the prime minister is secondary. The good values of Islam should be upheld. A leader must be trustworthy, not corrupt, of high integrity and who could bring social justice to all Malaysians. And if this is achieved it is enough for me in this world.”

The rakyat have not heard this kind of humble statement springing from any UMNO leader since 1981.

Malaysia Chronicle

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

. . . Becoming a leader is a huge responsibility . . .

Bullsh1t! All an MP needs to do is amend laws en masse with other MPs, and GTFO of Dewan after the 2nd term so that some other Malaysian will have a chance to do some policy work. All the MPs of today do are argue, never forward useful bills and keep apartheid in place by not challenging what is Illegal in the Human Rights Charter and Islam and virtually every faith on the planet. Responbsibility is making CHANGE by ratifying good policy and forwarding amendments to policy. Not keep the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA in place (BN), threaten to destroy private property (Gambier Threat – DAP), destroy livilihood of the streetside petty traders (DAP), ask for 750K funerals (DAP), ask for raises for MP and Assemblyman salaries (DAP), or try to impose Hudud on Malaysians (PAS), especially non-Muslim Malaysians, or pass off 8% quorum party elections as valid (PKR) or 0.002% (300 out of 1.5 million) for EXCO posts.

The above makes today’s hateful term limitless and extremely nepotistic MPs, loudmouths without responsibility. ALL an MP needs to do is change a few things by putting a signature down which any street sweeper can happily do. So far nothing useful from either side, lots of mega contracts for 1% cronies but nothing concrete for the 99%.

. . . He then aptly said, “Leadership is a huge trust and a big responsibility. Whoever becomes the prime minister is secondary. The good values of Islam should be upheld. A leader must be trustworthy, not corrupt, of high integrity and who could bring social justice to all Malaysians. And if this is achieved it is enough for me in this world.” . . .

APTLY? Malaysian Chronicle converted to Islam lately? ‘The good values of Islam should be upheld.’ is the vaguest most threatening thing being said as much as President Morsi of Egypt’s ‘Absolutist Decree’ just recently. There are OTHER good values – of other fiaths, of democracy of HUMAN RIGHTS that too many religions attack constantly. WHAT THE HELL is apt about a potential crypto-Islamist statement like that given the neglect of 40% of the population’s seculars or non-Hudu Malays up to 80-95% of Malaysia’s population altogether?

Hadi has NOT addressed the seculars since ‘accepting the PMship’ a week or so ago – Morsi Style! please stop emboldening with this sort of collusion or laziness. Apt? Hadi has forgotten the 40% of non-Muslims and non-Malays as well as possibly 70% of the non-pro-Hudud Malays and Muslims. Malaysia Chronicle sure this can be called ‘APT’? Frankly Malaysian MPs are overpaid, even when a 900 minimum wage cannot be implemented, what business have MPs have to take 23K per month of taxpayer monies? MPs salaries are paid by the Rakyat, did any Rakyat say they deserve 23K? On a 1-Man-1-Vote vote, probably MPs will have their salaries LOWERED to no more than 10 times minimum annual wage which would likely be RM$9000, even as minimum wage of $900 already gets ALL MP’s dragging their feet . . . the Pakatan MPs are term limitless and nepotistic, do not care for the Rakyat, even as BN MPs continue apartheid . . . vote 3rd Force!

Proposed 3rd Force Party

ARTICLE 11

RPK: Do You Think I Give A Crap? – by RAJA PETRA KAMARUDIN – Monday, 05 November 2012 16:25

“More I read your articles, more I have an inclination that you really are on a BN payroll.” – @bengali kunday.

That was what a reader going by the nickname of ‘@bengali kunday’ said. Well, allow me to reply to that.

First of all, even if I am on the payroll of Barisan Nasional, so what? There are people like those in Malaysiakini, Malaysia Chronicle, and so on, who are on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll. In fact, sites like Harakah and many others actually belong to and are financed by Pakatan Rakyat or parties within Pakatan Rakyat. And they do not hide that fact or are apologetic or ashamed about serving the interest of a political party, notwithstanding the fact that it is an opposition party.

Are you implying that it is okay to be on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll but not okay to be on Barisan Nasional’s payroll? Are you also implying that democracy and freedom of choice and freedom of association means you must be on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll but not on Barisan Nasional’s payroll?

What type of democracy is this when you are restricted to serving one party’s interest but not the other? What type of democracy is this when you have no freedom of choice or freedom of association and are obligated to serve one party’s interest but not the other?

You take the moral high ground whenever you feel that someone is serving Barisan Nasional’s interest but you do not demonstrate that same moral outrage if someone is on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll. So-called ‘independent’ human rights organisations such as Suaram openly work for Pakatan Rakyat but that is not repulsive to you. Only if they serve Barisan Nasional’s interest is it repulsive.

Secondly, when I write articles very damaging to Barisan Nasional and Umno – such as my two recent articles this week in The Corridors of Power regarding Umno Sabah – you do not consider that as being on Pakatan Rakyat’s payroll. However, if I write just one article that is slightly uncomplimentary to Pakatan Rakyat (in fact, the article that I wrote in which you posted that comment is not even about Pakatan Rakyat or uncomplimentary to Pakatan Rakyat) you consider that as being on Barisan Nasional’s payroll.

To you Pakatan Rakyat supporters, the decent thing to do is to serve Pakatan Rakyat’s interest. Serving any other interest is an indecent thing to do. You decide the moral boundaries and limits of decency and anyone who does not pass your interpretation and yardstick of morality and decency is vilified. Who appointed you the guardian and trustee of morality and decency?

How different are you from the religionists who decide what is moral and what is decent and impose their standards of morality and decency on others? Since Muslims represent the majority population in Malaysia can Muslims then, going by the doctrine of democracy where majority rules, impose their Islamic interpretation of morality and decency on the minority?

Since the majority dictates the ground rules then surely what is compatible to Islam should prevail and anything repulsive to Islam should be barred. In that case the Islamic Sharia law, Hudud included, should be the law of the land. Muslims who are the majority in Malaysia should decide what is moral and what is decent and Islam must be the code of conduct that all Malaysians should live by.

Religionists such as Muslims, even if they are the majority in Malaysia, should not impose their will on Malaysians, even on fellow Muslims, let alone on the non-Muslims. So why should you impose your will on others? The believers of Islam should not vilify those who are not of the Muslim faith. Why should the believers of Pakatan Rakyat vilify those who are not of the opposition faith?

When misguided Muslims adopt the ‘either you are with us or you are against us’ religious doctrine, you find that revolting, indecent and immoral. But you can adopt the ‘either you are with us or you are against us’ political doctrine and it is not revolting, indecent and immoral.

What kind of hypocritical double standard is this? You resent it when others impose their will on you and when they decide what is tolerable, moral and decent. But you can impose your will on others and decide what is tolerable, moral and decent. Can you see the hypocrisy that is so thick you can cut it with a knife?

Do you think I care a sh** about Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat? Do you think I care a sh** whether Barisan Nasional retains power or Pakatan Rakyat gains power? Do you think my life is only about the general elections and about who gets to march into Putrajaya? That is a very narrow way to look at life.

Do you honestly think that my mission in life is to make sure that Barisan Nasional does not get kicked out? Do you honestly think that my mission in life is to ensure that Pakatan Rakyat gets to form the next federal government? You have a very narrow mission in life. Do not imagine that my mission in life is as narrow as yours.

Politicians are politicians, never mind from which side of the political divide. And the narrow objective of all politicians is merely to get into power. What makes you think that that is also my very narrow objective? If you think that then you have not been reading properly what I have been writing over these last 35 years.

You Pakatan Rakyat supporters are still too immature. And that is why Pakatan Rakyat is not ready to run the country. Pakatan Rakyat supporters first need to gain some maturity before Pakatan Rakyat can be allowed to form the federal government. You need to suffer another term under Barisan Nasional. This suffering might then wake you up and only when you wake up can we talk about a change of government.

Yes, do keep whacking me. Continue to vilify me. And when you do I will do everything within my power to make sure that the coming general election is going to result in a huge shock and disappointment for you.

Never give a flower to a monkey, the Malays would say. That is like throwing pearls to swine, the English say. And that is how I look at some of you Pakatan Rakyat supporters, monkeys and swine that are not ready to be entrusted with power.

So you want to fight. So let’s fight. I have nothing to lose because I don’t care a sh** which side is going to win the coming general election. That is what you want. That is not what I want. Just because that is what you want you have this mistaken notion that that is what I also want.

What stupid people you are. If I support Pakatan Rakyat then I am God. If I do not support Pakatan Rakyat then I am a Barisan Nasional stooge. Well, let me break it to you gently. I am neither God not a Barisan Nasional stooge. I am an independent-spirited individual who does not care a sh** about losers like you.

It is true that there are things that we Malaysians should be proud of, and be thankful for. It is equally true that many things are not well in our country. They have not been well for some time now.

Matters of safety and security, price hikes, education, issues of equal opportunities and equal treatment, constriction of various forms of freedom, marginalization of several segments of society, the failing justice system, corruption in the public sector, the rising denial syndromes, the arrogance of wrongdoers nourished by their repeated ability to get off scot-free, and the numbness of the public reaction towards misdeeds and the lack of accountability, just to describe a few.

Many of the ills that we complain about in our society are the symptoms of the underlying causes. Some of the major root causes are:

(a) epidemic corruption in a system that does little to prohibit or redress it,

(b) lack of a system of transparency and accountability,

(c) the suppression of various freedoms so as to turn a silent majority into a silenced majority,

(d) a Government that is more interested in commanding than serving,

(e) a Parliament whose overwhelming majority cares more about power-consolidation than nation-building, and

(f) a weak “last bastion” in the form of a failing justice system.

Breaking point

Can things be allowed to go on this way? Can we afford to do so?

Should our future generations suffer the consequences of our permissiveness?

It is quite obvious that we need a better Government and a better Parliament.

But that will not happen if we, the citizens of Malaysia , do little more than blaming the Government and criticizing our Members of Parliament. It is we who put our MPs in the Parliament. It is we who must take the ultimate responsibility.The buck stops at each and every one of us.

My earnest appeal to everyone is therefore as follows:

– discuss the need for a better Parliament and a better Government, with your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you;

– make it a point to go and vote in the next election, and to vote for change and for betterment; discard the notion or excuse that your single vote will not matter;

– discard the notion or excuse that politics is dirty and all politicians are the same, and therefore that there is no point in voting;

– influence and encourage as many of your family members, colleagues, friends and persons close to you as possible, to come out and vote for change and for betterment in the coming election.

Meaningless to gripe if you don’t VOTE

It is meaningless for us to complain about our Parliamentarians and the Government, if we do not first discharge a simple but sacrosanct duty of choice.

Let us all take the time to look into the beautiful but expectant eyes of our children, and of the children of many others for whom we care.

The future of our nation is meant for them. But millions of them cannot vote. They put their fate in our hands. They rely on us not just for their present living and support. They rely on us, too, to vote for a better future for them.

And after discharging our duty to vote, we must continue to be vigilant, and ensure that our elected representatives account for their actions, and make good their promises.

I humbly suggest to you that change and betterment are not empty dreams, if all of us play our respective parts. I invite you, and I urge you, to answer my appeal as set out above.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Yeo Yang Poh

(former Bar Council President)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

So says the ‘great legal mind’ who propped up Mahathir’s racist corrupt government and sat silently while in power as Bar President while APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA and OPs Lallang went on. This legal beagle (no eagle even though was Bar Council President) Yeo Yang Poh entirely failed his watch, did not challenge Malaysia’s failed state throughout the 1970s to 1990s.

The legal fraternity worldwide should blackball this failure Yeo and also the Bar Council of today as well for not challenging apartheid. And now Yeo thinks that writing an ‘open letter’ will exhonerate such neglect and tacit approval of such Malaysian racism, corruption, illegal actions and general malaise? Liar and traitor to all Malaysian, traitor to minorities, traitor to ETHICS and the integrity of the legal system! Shame on Yeo Yang Poh for never raising the possibility of ending the APARTHEID OF BUMIPUTRA!

Malaysia Chronicle must be getting chronic to allow such people to post articles on their media article. Cynical media portal featuring cynical letters from supposed learned writers who sellout the 99% of citizens!

ARTICLE 13

DON’T BE SO ‘ULU’ UMNO: Stop the May 13 threats, have the GUTS to compete on level ground! – by Lim Kit Siang – Friday, 30 November 2012 15:44

The irresponsible threats raised by UMNO leaders at the 66th UMNO General Assembly of “May 13” and chaos if UMNO loses the 13th General Election, falsely claiming that Malays will lose political power and will be rendered “destitute in our own land”, is the best proof of the failure and hypocrisy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy.

If the 1Malaysia Policy proclaimed by Najib after he became Prime Minister in in April 2009 is more than election gimmicks for votes in the 13GE, its philosophy “to create a Malaysian nation where every Malaysian will regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic status second” should have been the guiding spirit of speeches of UMNO/BN leaders and their party conferences.

But this is clearly not the case despite the onset of the 43rd month of Najib’s premiership, as illustrated by the 66th Umno General Assembly.

In the first place, an Umno/BN leader fully imbued by the 1Malaysia spirit of “Malaysian first and race, religion, geography or socio-economic status second” would never entertain any notion let alone utter any threat of May 13 or chaos regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming 13th general election, as anyone who could toy with any May 13 threat or warning of chaos because of the free democratic choice of Malaysians in the 13th general election has not only failed to imbibe the spirit of 1Malaysia, but is acting in a most disloyal and unpatriotic manner utterly heedless of the higher interests of the nation and the best future for the country.

Felled by own falsehoods

Such disloyal and unpatriotic notions is all the more reprehensible as they are built on despicable lies and falsehoods, that the defeat of UMNO in the 13th GE will result in the loss of political power of the Malays resulting in the Malays, to quote one speech: “..if we go down in this struggle, we do not have anything left. Pakatan will be brought down to their knees, and eventually become destitute in our own land”.

That fate may befall UMNO leaders – and that is if UMNO is incapable of reform even after being ousted from Putrajaya – but definitely it will not be the fate of the Malays.

This is because replacing UMNO/BN in Putrajaya will be the Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising PKR, PAS and DAP – comprising Malaysians from all races, religions and regions representing the best interests of all.

Do MCA and the other BN component parties agree that if UMNO/BN loses in the 13GE, the Malays will lose political power?

MCA leaders are in fact saying the very opposite – telling the Chinese that if Pakatan Rakyat defeat UMNO/BN in the next general elections, the Chinese will lose even more political, economic, educational, socio-economic and citizenship rights!

Only the corrupt will lose power

Let UMNO and MCA leaders decide on one common message – whether it is the Malays or Chinese who will lose political power if UMNO/BN is replaced by Pakatan Rakyat in the 13GE.

The true answer is that it is not the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans who will lose political power but the UMNO-putras and their hangers-on in the other BN component parties – with ordinary Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region coming into their own to have rightful share in the decision-making process in a more democratic Malaysia.

It is time that UMNO and MCA leaders stop their irresponsible politics of “divide and rule” and compete with Pakatan Rakyat parties instead on “unite and rule” for a more democratic, just, prosperous and competitive Malaysia.

Lim Kit Siang is the DAP adviser & MP for Ipoh Timur

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Shaddap and GTFO of Dewan nepotistic term limitless creep!

DON’T BE SO ‘ULU’ DAP: Stop the APARTHEID OF BUMIPUTRA, have the GUTS to DEMAND level ground (below 3 items)!

Such disloyal and unpatriotic notions is all the more reprehensible as they are built on despicable lies and falsehoods, that the defeat of DAP in the 13th GE will result in the loss of political power of the Lim Family Bloc, Anwar Family Bloc and Karpal Family Blocs resulting in the family blocs, to quote one speech: “. . . if Pakatan goes down in this struggle, Pakatan does not have anything left. Pakatan will be(ing) brought down to their knees, and eventually become destitute in Pakatan’s own constituencies” to the empowerment of 3rd Force and the very rare handful of honest politicians within BN who subscribe top the above 3 items.

That fate may befall UMNO leaders – and that is if UMNO is incapable of reform even after being ousted from Putrajaya – but definitely it will not be the fate of the Malays.

This is because replacing UMNO/BN in Putrajaya will be the Pakatan Rakyat coalition comprising PKR, PAS and DAP – comprising Malaysians from all races, religions and regions representing the best interests of all.

Do MCA and the other BN component parties agree that if UMNO/BN loses in the 13GE, the Malays will lose political power?

MCA leaders are in fact saying the very opposite – telling the Chinese that if Pakatan Rakyat defeat UMNO/BN in the next general elections, the Chinese will lose even more political, economic, educational, socio-economic and citizenship rights!

Only the nepotistic and term limitless will lose power.

The true answer is that it is not the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans who will lose political power but the DAP-putras and their hangers-on in the other Pakatan component parties – with ordinary Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region coming into their own to have rightful share in the decision-making process in a more democratic Malaysia by removing term limitless Lim Kitsiangs and Karpals and their families from family blocs in Parliament.

It is time that DAP and PKR leaders stop their irresponsible politics of “falsely-unify and rule-by-kicking out members and being dictators PAP style” and compete to match 3rd Force instead on “TERM LIMITS and END OF NEPOTISM” for a more democratic, just, prosperous and competitive Malaysia.

TWO important decisions at the recently concluded 21st Asean Summit in Phnom Penh were: the launch of the Asean Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and delaying the launch of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 12 months, from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2015, to iron out pending issues and prepare the necessary regulations.

RCEP is forged as an alliance between Asean and its six dialogue partners — Australia, China, India, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand — to create a free trade area with great potential for gains through economic cooperation.

To date, numerous free trade agreements (FTAs) and economic partnership agreements (EPAs) have been concluded between single Asean member nations and by Asean as a group with individual dialogue partners. However, the overlapping priorities, procedures and practices have reduced the effectiveness and the potential benefits of these agreements since businesses have to observe the different rules of these various arrangements while it has also increased the cost of utilising preferential concessions.

It is in that context that the Asean RCEP agreement, with its region-wide partners, has the potential to reduce the complexity arising from the current multiplicity of agreements by agreeing on a single package and focusing on Asean’s centrality in the region.

Second, RCEP would be a basis for more complementary regional integration initiatives, since the partnership is to be built on the experiences, strengths and drawbacks of the many existing FTAs and EPAs.

It is also hoped that the Asean RCEP could spur efforts to set up an FTA between China, Japan and South Korea, a prospect faced with several impediments still to be resolved. Once established on a firm footing among the three northeast Asian nations, it can certainly enhance further regional economic integration.

All these positive aspirations and moves to achieve effective regional economic integration pivot on the countries concerned strengthening their commitment to, and being ready to work towards, that very goal, both among Asean members and their dialogue partners.

And, it is here, that the decision to delay by 12 months the launching of the AEC becomes critical. In that time frame, all Asean members must make progress to fulfil and implement the agreed road map and targeted actions for the AEC. That must surely be a prerequisite for realising the broader goal of regional economic integration.

One should also keep in mind that RCEP might be perceived as a competitor to the United States-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). At present, only Australia, Brunei, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam are a part of the TPP, while several other Asean members and dialogue partners, notably China, are not — a fact that could cause conflict of interests and derail effective economic integration.

Such a situation, if not clearly demarcated so that both the TPP and RCEP mutually benefit its members, could easily complicate further the existing and planned business pacts in the region, and frustrate efforts to achieve effective regional economic integration.

Malaysia, as a founding Asean member, having successful economic ties with all major countries and given its presence in both the TPP and RCEP, can and should play a key role in helping to promote the success of the AEC and the wider goal of regional economic integration, especially in the current context of a globalised economic and trading regime.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

No. Malaysia may be a founding member of ASEAN, but has institutionalized apartheid in the social economic system and is nominally Islamo-extremist and Nazi style ethnic communalist to a certain level alongside extreme religious fundo-mindsets against LGBTs and other non-Muslim entertainments. These facts render Malaysia non-viable as an ASEAN signatory until corrected. So long as Malaysia has denied the minorities and non-Muslims :

Malaysia’s role in ASEAN will be limited and biased, value deducted and disunifying from sheer inequality of the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA applied against the superminority of 40% of the non-Muslim and non-Malay population.

This is supposed to be one of our ‘better’ less fundo ‘more liberal’ Malays. England has extended far too much courtesy and spotlight to this duplicituous sorry specimen of humanity while ignoring worthier Malaysian citizens.

ARTICLE 15

The women haters in Parliament – November 28, 2012

NOV 28 — So, we now have rules in Parliament to stop lawmakers from saying sexist things.

You can stop them saying sexist things but it doesn’t change their mentality. It doesn’t change the fact that both Umno and PAS have chauvinists in their ranks who demean women with their words and actions.

This is also the same man who said attractive women shouldn’t work as they can get husbands, unlike their “uglier” brethren.

If I were to tell one of our chauvinistic MPs to his face that he hated women, he would probably reply, “Of course, not! I love women!”

Of course you do.

You love having women in your kitchen.

You love having women in your bedroom.

You love women when they tell you you’re right. When they agree with you. When they’re meek, pliable and not nearly as good at anything you do.

And when some woman tells you off for something like sexism or chauvinism, you brush her off as some “man-hating feminist.”

There’s a big difference between chauvinism and chivalry, but to some Malaysian men, they seem to be one and the same.

You don’t have to be an MP to be sexist. Take former Umno Kota Kinabalu protem head, Roselan Johar Mohamed, who is famous not because he is current chair of the BIMP-Eeaga Malaysian Business Council but for saying “If you cannot fight rape, better lay down and enjoy it.”

He claims he got that from a proverb by Confucius. I counter with a real quote from Confucius: “To subdue one’s self and return to propriety, is virtue.” Or, in other words, the right thing to do is have enough self-control to conduct yourself properly.

By that measure, too many of our politicians are very un-virtuous indeed.

It’s not just the way our male politicians talk about women but the way female politicians are treated in this country.

Why the need for separate women’s wings? Why, for instance, can’t a woman contest for leadership positions against men in our political parties?

Why must there be separate wings and positions just for the women?

Why can’t, say, a woman be the division head for Umno Selangor? Heck, why can’t a woman be the mentri besar? Why aren’t any of the mentri besar women? Where in our constitution does it specify that a woman cannot be head of state?

The reality is that sexism and chauvinism are entrenched in our local as well as political cultures. Telling our MPs to be “good boys” in Parliament isn’t enough because all our men need to be taught to acknowledge women as equals.

Sexism, like racism, is something that will never really go away. But it doesn’t mean that we can’t do our level best to fight them.

You can start small by gently reprimanding someone like Bung by saying, “That’s a sexist thing to say.”

Mentally, feel free to imagine hitting him about the head with a rolled up newspaper. Even virtue has its limits.

(The writer would like to emphasise that she suggested to “imagine” and not actually perform acts of violence, no matter how tempting.)

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

i) You can stop them saying sexist things but it doesn’t change their mentality.

Hey you can’t stop people from thinking or saying what they want ‘Erna’. 1st Amendment Rights, Voltarian FREEDOM OF SPEECH (freedom of life)!

ii) It doesn’t change the fact that both Umno and PAS have chauvinists in their ranks who demean women with their words and actions.

Doesn’t change the fact that SOME women do prefer chauvinistic men enough to ignore any incidental ‘demeaning’ of women.

iii) Why the need for separate women’s wings? Why, for instance, can’t a woman contest for leadership positions against men in our political parties?

Erna are you a Muslim? UMNO and PAS are Muslim parties, seperate wings in fact are ‘Muslim Characteristics’, even though Malays are not Muslims to begin with. If Erna needs to be apostate, Erna should leave Islam, but do not try to change Islam’s gender segregation. In time Islam will become a petty cult with the relic of gender seperation, this does not mean that Islam should change.

iv) Heck, why can’t a woman be the mentri besar? Why aren’t any of the mentri besar women? Where in our constitution does it specify that a woman cannot be head of state?

Do some work to declare Malaysia a secular state don’t compl;ain here. In Islam, the Patriarchy is dominant, if Islam is the faith of the country, all Muslims should be aware that only men are MBs or CMs.Run for politics instead of carrying b@lls on the media portals. How about Erna run as the first apostate Malay woman MP candidate who will forward a bill for MBs to be women, or declaring Malaysia a secualar state Erna?

v) The reality is that sexism and chauvinism are entrenched in our local as well as political cultures.

AND some women like things this way too. And so long as there is demand, there will be supply.

vi) Telling our MPs to be “good boys” in Parliament isn’t enough because all our men need to be taught to acknowledge women as equals.

ALL OUR MEN? Sorry Erna, women are not the same as men, or vice versa, NOR are men ‘yours’, and cannot be equals in the manner hoped for. Some women recognize this, some can’t. Are you a lesbian or a man trapped in a woman’s body Erna? Erna should have a sex change needed, or if bigendered in preference, lobby for ‘shemale’ to be included on ICs, Passports and perhaps even specil notes on birth certificates stating sex change or bigenderism.

vii) Mentally, feel free to imagine hitting him about the head with a rolled up newspaper. Even virtue has its limits.

Somone’s into rough !@#. Nice! I’d say Erna is a closet lesbian, a man in a woman’s body (too many male hormones in food?), or (secretly?) wants to be dominated by a ‘Bung-like’ man.

viii) You love women when they tell you you’re right. When they agree with you. When they’re meek, pliable and not nearly as good at anything you do.

Some do some don’t. And as the song goes ‘ There’s someone for everyone . . .’ So stop picking on actually meek, pliable and ditzy women who are the raison d’etre of misogynistic men as much as meek, as much as pliable and ditzy women posing as such to seek the love of men they like even if these men are on the mental plane chauvinists! Some gaps in logic? Love and marriage is that nuanced, harems polygamous and polyandrous included . . . try the below link for some pretty normal looking polygamous families.

Under the correct circumstances, or without the right backers, the state would haul Erna up and decide Erna was insane and needed to be medicated the rest of Erna’s life. How absolutist can anyone get and without thinking through the above facts if not merely being a feminist demogogue intent on limiting the myriad forms of expression in marriage?

BERA – The government has tasked two cooperatives to get more Chinese traders to participate in the Retail Shop Transformation Project (Tukar) which has attracted less than 10 per cent of entrepreneurs from the community so far, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said here.

The government had also provided an allocation of RM8 million to the cooperatives – Koperasi Jaya Diri Malaysia Bhd and Koperasi Peralihan Usahawan Bersatu Cina – to do the job, which involved disseminating information on the project in Chinese to the targeted traders, he said.

Ismail Sabri said Chinese traders were reluctant to participate in the project because they could not obtain clear explanation of the project.

“We hope the two cooperatives will help disseminate the relevant information on Tukar in Chinese dialects to the traders for them to better understand the project,” he told reporters after a dialogue with Chinese traders in Triang, here, yesterday.

Tukar is one of 13 Entry Point Projects under the Economic Transformation Programme to modernise 500 small retailers and co-operatives by the end of the year.

Ismail Sabri said it was not necessary for traders joining the Tukar project to sell only 1Malaysia products at their outlets as they could also sell other goods.

“The management of the business is upgraded under the Tukar project to be more systematic,” he said.

– Bernama

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Wednesday, 28 November 2012 20:00 posted by VQiong

Only opportunistic MCA cadre participated. No honourable Chinese will take up the offer.

ARTICLE 15

Muhyiddin: We are just and fair to all races – Wednesday, 28 November 2012 16:14

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO’S track record of being a just and fair party to all races compares favourably with the dysfunctional state governments ruled by Pakatan Rakyat since the 2008 general election.

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Pakatan leaders, so used to stoking racial sentiments and religious extremism, had alienated each other in states under its rule.

He said a deep mistrust, racial and religious chasm and differing ideologies and political beliefs could seal Pakatan’s fate.

In a rousing speech at the joint opening of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri delegates’ conference last night ahead of the party’s annual general assembly, Muhyiddin said:

“In Penang, DAP refuses to share power with Pas which has only one representative in the state assembly. Until today, none of the Pas members has been appointed as state executive council members.

“DAP went to the extent of appointing a Parti Keadilan Rakyat representative to handle the state religious portfolio although it knew that Pas was more qualified.

“Similarly in Kedah, the sole DAP assemblyman was not appointed as an exco in the Pas-ruled state while in Selangor, a Pas exco member and a DAP exco member had once clashed over the enforcement of Islamic laws in the PKR-led state.”

Muhyiddin added Pakatan’s win in the last general election served, therefore, as “a blessing in disguise for Barisan Nasional because it exposed its inability to work with each other”.

He said power sharing among opposition leaders “had never existed” because of mistrust.

As for Umno, the deputy prime minister said the party continued to protect the interests of all races.

“Umno has never discriminated against any race in its struggles for the Malays and Islam in the last 66 years.”

In an indirect reference to PKR’s de facto leader, Muhyiddin hit out at “an opposition leader” whom he said had requested help from a foreign country to oversee the electoral process.

“He is telling lies to the whole world that our election process is not clean. This is treason and a dirty tactic by a desperado.”

He said Malaysia under the BN administration had never reneged on its power-sharing promises in governing the country.

He also called on party members to give their all in the final lap before the general election.

“As party frontliners, Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri are the workhorses (pasukan tahan lasak). Go to all corners of the country and the cities, traverse valleys and the rivers, uphold our struggles and, God willing, we will parade our victory torch (in the general election).”

– New Straits Times

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Muhyiddin: We are just and fair to all races.

NO, BN and UMNO are not just or fair to all races. Muhyiddin is not fair to all races. There is no justice or fairness without :

We view with serious concerns the Malaysian government’s invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinder Rajapaksa to attend the 8th World Islamic Economic Forum from December 4 to 6 (despite the latest report that he may not be attending).

This invitation is certainly disgraceful and outrageous as President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a suspected war criminal for mass atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan army including the massacres of Tamil civilians and captured LTTE fighters, targeted shelling of civilians, rape, sexual assault, abuse and murder. In April 2011, a UN expert report concluded that as many as 40,000 people were killed in the final weeks of the war between the LTTE and government forces.

Although Malaysia is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), on 9 February, 2009 the government in its presentation at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UNHRC stated that “Malaysia has undertaken a detailed study and held consultations to study the legal implications arising from the provisions of the Rome Statute. Despite several concerns, Malaysia is fully committed to the principles and the establishment of the ICC and their integrity.”

We therefore urge the Malaysian government to rescind the invitation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa as this invitation would send damaging signals to victims of mass atrocity in Sri Lanka and globally, Sri Lankan refugees worldwide including in Malaysia, and undermine Malaysia’s credibility on issues of justice and the principles of the ICC.

Seatbelts not fastened, but do we really want to be fined? Get the 222 MPs to remove the fine! If any driver wants to die in an accident from not wearing seatbelts (which is not likely in slow paced jammed up roads in the cities), thats their right to do so.

But fining people only profiteers off the citizens! RM150 is EXCESSIVE especially from this sort of ‘victimless traffic offence’ thing. Was anyone hurt because the driver was not wearing a seatbelt? Was the driver driving quickly? Was the driver doing so many maneuvers with the car that needed a seatbelt to be worn? So the driver without seatbelt on might just be enjoying a sense of FREEDOM and not being bound into a seat to better enjoy a car ride while NOT being criminal minded. WHY does the traffic code need to be so invasive and consider this a crime? Who wrote the code? Also consider that a person who earns less than 1500 a month and barely saves 150 a month is effectively being bled to death by this sort of fine for a traffic offence.

I strongly suggest that 1% of salaries by applied for fining, and NO FINE by applied for those not currently working. This means that a 1000.00 earner pays 10.00 for a traffic offence, with 3% and 10% being levied for more serious or dangerous offences. Just wait till I get my MP’s seat, prepare for MASSIVE overhauls of the system, so are we ready to vote and run for election alongside moi on this issue at least?

Percentage of salary based fines and bails (which seem to all say one thing – the rich are immune to justice and do not feel the pain of fines . . . ) BTW, the officer was ‘kind’ enough to offer to ‘ignore’ the 150 fine for a 50 ‘duit kopi’, but even though moi could have put the money to better use, some of us would rather pay the full 150 than encourage bribery and corruption in the police force. BUT BECAUSE some of us also do not believe in destroying a civil servants life with a brownnoser style report, I’ll leave the reporting of the bribery issue alone (no bribe paid anyway) and take on the state instead by running for candidacy (by proxy perhaps) simply to lower those damn fines or even amend the criminal codes as well. Whats the point of this sort of shameless profiteering?

Oh and the wheel clamp fine by police is excessive also, 50.00? What a waste of time and productivity, citizens may have slower traffic but saving money and time making trips to the payment counter makes for a happier citizen likelier to vote for the existing government. Plastic bags 0.20 cents? 0.05 cents more likely! To inform, out of sheer spirit some citizens hit with fines may not want to riot or turn cop-killers, but they sure as hell will try to screw the system if the system screws them. Whos’s with the 99% in screwing back the system by making fines salary based through forcing MPs to assent to the above by voting someone else? Lets amend the criminal code by kicking out the BN and Pakatan MPs! End the APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA! BN and Pakatan look set to not grant :

;so why should we vote them and their 23K salaries? 99% are we ready to vote 3rd Force? Lets LOWER all MP salaries and traffic fines, ditch the Hudud elements in the criinal code ESPECIALLY for non-Muslims and by Human Rights ALLOW Muslims who really want to have Article 18 of the Human Rights Charter their right to exercise what the rest of HUMANITY can!

KUALA LUMPUR – The DAP today urged the Malaysian government to lodge diplomatic protests over Israel’s cruel actions on the people of Gaza, Palestine.

Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said Wisma Putra (the Foreign Ministry) should make vehement protests on Israel’s actions to the United States and the United Nations so that the violence perpetrated against the people of Gaza was stopped forthwith.

“DAP condemns Israel’s using its military might disproportionately to the rocket attacks from Palestinian fighters. Israel’s aggression on Gaza always brings unnecessary deaths and damage to property,” he said in a statement here today.

At least 30 people have been killed and scores others injured, including women and children, in Israel’s latest airstrikes on the Gaza Strip which began on Wednesday.

Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza and the brutal killings of innocent Palestinians. The incessant shelling of whatever that is left of the Palestinian homeland is a gross violation of international law and constitutes acts of cold blooded murder.

We categorically condemn these blatant acts of aggression and call on the international community to do whatever that is necessary to put an end to the violence. The continued bombardment and the calling up of 75,000 reservists constitute a grave threat to peace and stability in the region.

We would reiterate the warning by both Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi that serious consequences would ensue if Israel follows up with its threat of a ground offensive.

Take clear moral stand

President Barack Obama must act immediately and decisively to put to an end to the increasing tension in the region by making it clear to Israel that their continued acts of aggression and the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza will have severe implications not just for the region but for international peace and stability.

All peace loving nations must take a clear moral stand on this issue and pressure Israel to cease its brutal, inhumane and oppressive actions against the people of Gaza, already marginalized for years and since 2006, unfairly penalised by the Western powers for having elected Hamas to power.

DAP is the worst political party EVER. We still have APARTHEID of BUMIPUTRA here in Malaysia and DAP wants to target Israel AN ENTIRE country embroiled in decades of war instead? GTFO of Dewan DAP! End apartheid and unequal citizenships first then talk about Israel. If DAP can’t even walk as equals among Malaysians, DAP has no business talking about Israel. DAP is run by nepotistic term limitless idiots.

Also selected comments from another media site confirm DAP’s irrelevance to Malaysian politics and lack of interest in Human Rights locally (DAP accepts 2nd class citizenships but wants to fight the 10th Crusade on the side of Muslims? Obama didn’t get through to Anwar now did he? PKR has not spoken against apartheid or ensured Article 18 of the Human Rights Charter but wants to berate Obama on Palestine? Send in the marines!

Sunday, 18 November 2012 12:28 posted by Malaysian

DAP is barking up the wrong tree. It is now supporting aggressors. Hamas knew that the rocket attacks on Israel would get a strong response if they kept it up long enough. Were they thinking of the wellbeing of the Palestinians in this case? I think not. Like many in the world community, DAP has now been drawn into condemning Israel’s right to defend itself while conveniently forgetting that it was Hamas who started the violence. Can we have some common sense here, or is it too much to ask of DAP on this issue?

Sunday, 18 November 2012 14:38 posted by CorruptWorld

The corrupt and dictatorial leaderships in the middle east nations are fearful of the momentum of “the Arab Spring”. Rhetorica against Iran’s nuclear program, Iran supports Asad of Syria n militants in Iraq, Hezbollah meddling in Labenon, all year long Hamas firing rockets into Isreal, Isreal heavy response….these are planned political, big arms deals and corruption from bottom to top maneuvers by the leaders in West and East to divert or kill off the middle east peoples’ uprising and yearn for freedom and change of governments. Both, Isreal and Hamas are to blame for escalating tensions and hardship on their own people’s. When peace is near and real, they both acting up again. The ruling Government of Isreal is not true Jews as with Hamas is not true Muslims.

Sunday, 18 November 2012 22:31 posted by dominic

This is the second call from PR leaders . I have yet to see any call for Hamas to immediately cease their un-provocative shelling of Israel . Any disagreement is best settled on the round table instead of lobbing mortars and missles to gander international support and attention . Any peace at all need both side to abide collectively. No one party can go in alone !

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Drop the Israel-Palestine B.S.. . . ARE YOU A MINORITY living in Malaysia @dominic? If there is no equal standing locally for 40% of the population, stop talking about a country half a world away and handle the local issues first, Malaysia is half a Trillion in debt and has apartheid issues, this Israel-Palestine conflict is the work of SUPERPOWERS, and China and India are modest enough to keep their distance to let Russia and USA handle this, not even England or the EU want to get involved and here we have BN or Pakatan making alot of noise on the side . . . can’t even have equality, country in serious debt, can’t end Apartheid, and want to target the Middle East issues? Malaysian citizens as unfocused as Malaysian politicians, backyard issues first!

ARTICLE 2

The Ipoh boy who spoke no English… and rose to be Chief Justice – Sunday, 18 November 2012 08:29

This is an excerpt of a tribute delivered by Law Minister K. Shanmugam in Parliament on Monday to Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong, who retired on Nov 6.

SINGAPORE’S constitutional framework enshrines the rule of law, the independence of the courts and the separation of powers.

The Constitution establishes the Judiciary as a separate and independent institution, and charges it with the responsibility to interpret the law and apply it to cases which come before the courts.

At the head of the Judiciary is the Chief Justice. Through his judgments and extra-judicial writings, his presidency over appellate hearings and even his personal conduct, the Chief Justice sets the tone for the administration of justice in Singapore.

It is a heavy responsibility, and Singapore has been singularly fortunate that, for the past six years, that responsibility has been discharged by Chief Justice Chan.

Humble background

THE Chief Justice came from a humble background. He lived in a communal house in Ipoh, started his education late because of the war, and could not speak English when he first went to school.

But adversity did not slow him down. He was one of the top students in the Senior Cambridge School Certificate in 1955, with eight distinctions.

He could not decide what to read at university. He was not thinking of doing law – he had no idea what a legal career would be like. Happily for Singapore, he was persuaded to do law by his English literature teacher, Dr Etherton, who said that he had a “very crafty mind” – in a good sense.

Chief Justice Chan joined the inaugural LL.B. class of 1961 in the then University of Malaya, and was one of the top students in a class that produced several other students who went on to hold high positions in the law.

Private practice

CHIEF Justice Chan practised briefly in Kuala Lumpur before joining Braddell Brothers in Singapore in 1963. He did so because he wanted to continue to be with then his girlfriend, Elisabeth Eber, whom he later married.

Later, the Chief Justice joined Shook Lin & Bok, where he rose to become the managing partner and one of Singapore’s leading banking and corporate lawyers, with a complete mastery of the law and a keen understanding of commercial and practical realities.

He was the counsel of choice for many banks and financial institutions, and drafted many of the standard banking and corporate documents used throughout Singapore in the late 1970s and in the 1980s.

The Chief Justice never hid behind verbiage. I once had to advise on a guarantee which was drafted by the Chief Justice. It comprised two paragraphs, in a telex. The party which challenged the validity of the guarantee – perhaps because it looked too short to be a guarantee! – later backed down. Though brief, the document was clear and accurate. That was the hallmark of the Chief Justice: in the way he gave his advice, in the way he drafted documents and in the way he wrote his judgments.

Judicial commissioner and judge

CHIEF Justice Chan was appointed a Judicial Commissioner in 1986 – the first person to be so appointed. He was later elevated to be a Judge in 1988.

During his first judicial tenure, from 1986 to 1992, the Chief Justice demonstrated the independence of mind and the keenness of analysis that lawyers today are familiar with. In this period, he heard a fair number of public law cases, and, in his own words, “the decisions are fairly divided between those decided for and against the Government”.

It was during this period that I started my own career in the law. In 1987, I appeared as a junior, with Mr Joseph Grimberg, in a case before the Chief Justice. The precedents were not clear. While Mr Grimberg was making his arguments, the Chief Justice somehow noticed – I don’t know how, perhaps it showed in my face – that I was keen for a point to be made. He asked Mr Grimberg to ask me what the point was. I was quite struck that the Chief Justice noticed everything in his court – he was so alert that he even picked up on the thought processes of a junior, and pursued the point.

His handling of the case, both in the way he conducted the hearing, as well as his legal analysis, left a deep impression on me.

He had an excellent judicial temperament – no flourish, no hyperbole, no drama. He always cut to the chase, succinct. He was usually well ahead of counsel and on top of all the issues – a first-rate, world-class judicial mind.

Attorney-General

IN 1992, Chief Justice Chan was appointed the third Attorney-General of Singapore.

As Public Prosecutor, he had the constitutional responsibility for instituting and conducting prosecutions. He acted firmly and in the public interest. At the same time, he was fair to the accused.

He enhanced the capabilities of the Attorney-General’s Chambers by strengthening the Civil and Criminal Divisions, and setting up the International Affairs Division and the Law Reform and Law Revision Division. His successors have built on this strong foundation, and today the AGC has a full- fledged team of first-rate lawyers, numbering about 250.

As Attorney-General, and later as Chief Justice, Chief Justice Chan played a leading role in the Pedra Branca litigation.

He presented our case before the International Court of Justice in a very clear manner, together with Professor S. Jayakumar, Professor Tommy Koh and others. The ICJ decisively upheld Singapore’s sovereignty over Pedra Branca. Chief Justice’s personal interests – he is a keen student of history – helped substantially in presenting Singapore’s case. His collection of South-east Asian history books, one of the largest in Singapore, was extensively used for the ICJ hearing.

Chief Justice

Mr Chan was appointed as Chief Justice in 2006. The appointment was received with great enthusiasm by the legal community.

Chan Sek Keong the Chief Justice was very much like Chan Sek Keong the man – humble, unassuming, with a powerful intellect and a keen sense of integrity.

Outside of the courtroom, Chief Justice Chan demanded that lawyers meet the highest standards of professional conduct, and took decisive measures to safeguard clients’ monies from errant lawyers. He constantly encouraged the legal fraternity, from Senior Counsel to law student, to do more pro bono work, to improve access to justice for the less fortunate amongst us.

He started the Young Amicus Curiae scheme where young lawyers could assist Judges hearing Magistrate’s Appeals, and expose themselves to criminal work.

He stressed the need for top- tier advocacy in commercial cases. He observed that top Senior Counsel were often retained by large institutions, rendering them unable or unavailable to act against such institutions. The result was that small law firms and individual clients who wanted representation against large institutions could not instruct Senior Counsel. He thus advocated that Queen’s Counsel be allowed to appear more freely in our courts, so that small law firms and individual clients can instruct them.

As a judge, Chief Justice believed that “judgments should be expressed in a language that a reasonably educated layman can understand”, and indeed his judgments stand out for their clarity and simple elegance.

He believed in procedural fairness, that “litigants must come away from the court with the feeling that even though they lost, they have had their day in court and have been heard”.

He believed that the function of judges was to interpret and to apply the law, and not to legislate or make policy in the guise of adjudication. In that sense, he was a legal positivist.

At the same time, he believed that judges had a role in developing the law interstitially, consonant with national values and fundamental principles of the common law.

To promote the practice development of Singapore law, he issued a Practice Direction that Singapore cases should be cited in preference to foreign cases. In the course of his judicial career, he wrote almost 380 judgments, or more than 30 a year. His judgments, which span many areas of the law, will continue to influence our jurisprudence for many years to come.

He believed in justice for the common man. Above all, the Chief Justice was a firm believer in the rule of law and the duty of the court to uphold the law. In a lecture in 2010, he offered a robust rebuke to those who doubted the independence of the Judiciary.

When the boy from Ipoh came to Singapore to study, settle down and start a career in the law, it was Singapore which ultimately benefited.

Any legal professional that has sat by and watched the lack of the above, is a ‘boy’ . . . Ipoh or wherever from . . . not a MAN who challenges the APARTHEID OF BUMIPUTRA for the mere right to equality. Any Malaysian who RAN AWAY from Malaysia to Singapore, and not spoken a word against apartheid despite reaching such high status is a very cynical person, especially when no-longer holding posts or active in government.

‘While still at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), he was frequently asked about the Internal Security Act (ISA) — a law that enables the government to detain people without trial. The issue also recently grabbed headlines when the Catholic Archbishop of Singapore retracted a letter of support he sent to activist group Function 8, when it organised an event earlier this year calling for its abolition. Asked for his views on more controversial detentions in Singapore’s history, including Operation Coldstore in 1963 and Operation Spectrum in 1987, he felt it inappropriate to offer comment on specific incidents in the past because he was not privy to the specific security considerations applicable to them. With clearer knowledge of the situation between 2008 and 2011, however, Shanmugam is certain of the overarching rationale for the Act in the current international security environment — that ultimately it acts as a preventive measure where security threats are discovered on classified intelligence.

With the days of mass, high-profile detentions a thing of the past, though, whether the law should stay or not, he feels, all boils down to the evaluation of which of two risks Singapore is more prepared to take. “(The ISA) gives the power to the government to detain people without going through the due process of the courts. Once you have such a structure, is there a possibility of abuse? Of course… so that’s the risk,” he acknowledged. However, he pointed out, “Society has got to decide between that risk, or the risk that an incident might actually occur, and then you have to ask yourself, ‘What are the consequences of each of the two risks materialising? What is the impact on Singapore?’ and then people have to choose.” Shanmugam explained that where Singapore lacks in natural resources, it makes up for in a clean ecosystem that is friendly to businesses.’

Propagandist Indian raised into high stature, now here supporting draconian laws, and know that Shanmugam is present only for token multiracialism. Singapore is not friendly to business, but only acts as a money laundering front and military base of sorts centered around a CIVILIAN JUNTA around the nepotistic Lee family . . .

How can he compare to our wealthy, hollywood handsome pedigree and powerful Minister Nazari. Even Nazari son can afford to wear a million dollar watch. Can this S’porean(ex M’sian) CJ do likewise.

Aiyah, our Minister Nazari is 1st class conman – con his own people and also con everybody that there is nothing wrong in $40 million fiasco involving Michael Chia & Musa. By the way, sorry lah people like Justice Chan is not wanted by Malaysia. Smart people in Malaysia is a liability. They complain too much about UMNO’s brand of government. Too many smart people, where to cari makan.

Sunday, 18 November 2012 20:52 posted by Oran Utan

You guys still don’t get it do you? For UMNO this is all about Ketuanan Melayu, it is never about Meritocracy. And some you you hit a nail in the coffin, with his type of resume he will never get a job in Bolehland.

Talent corp is wasting taxpayers money and time, how do you expect to attract Malaysian Talents back and retain them when you cannot guarantee a future for these talents. Meritocracy, performance and opportunity for promotions and business opportunities are one of the main key criteria to stay back in Ketuanan Melayu land. So UMNO don’t take us for a ride with your Talent Corp bullshit. All I can see is that Talent Corp is another gimmick to siphon Taxpayers money.

Sunday, 18 November 2012 10:58 posted by Ibrahim

He acted firmly and in the public interest. ..

An excellent tribute. In Malaysia, if we can get 10% of the qualities mentioned in this tribute, we would be honored. Esp. When that Mamak who is really a Syaitan, tore the independence, professionalism & integrity of the Malaysian Judiciary to pieces.

Now we have only a Judiciary and AG Chambers completely compromised and without any more conscience esp. when Dealing with dissent and opposition to UMNO.

Following a public uproar to the widespread crackdown on two pro-democracy rallies held by electoral reform movement Bersih 2.0, Najib has taken great pains to improve civil liberties in Malaysia. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak signed ASEAN’s first human rights declaration (AHRD) in Cambodia today, officially committing Malaysia to its first foreign convention to promote fair treatment of every individual irrespective of race, religion and political opinion.

Today’s signing, which took place during the 21st ASEAN Summit at the Peace Palace in the capital city of Phnom Penh, comes at an opportune time for Malaysia and the Barisan Nasional (BN) government led by Najib, which has come under close international scrutiny for its alleged mishandling of several recent human rights issues.

“ASEAN shall pursue the protection and promotion of human rights in the region in our own way and also try to maintain the highest standard as expressed in various declarations and instruments of the international community,” ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan was quoted as saying in The Star Online.

According to media reports, the AHRD has a total of 40 clauses and covers areas like civil and political rights, economic, social ad cultural rights, developmental processes and peace enhancement.

The declaration also states that the rights of women, children, elderly and disabled persons and migrant workers are integral and indivisible part of human rights and fundamental freedom, The Star reported.

Najib has found himself in the international spotlight on numerous occasions, taking the hit for his administration’s alleged heavy-handedness in dealing with matters concerning civil freedom, individual rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association.

Some key examples include the widespread crackdown on two pro-democracy rallies held by electoral reform movement Bersih 2.0 — one on July 9, 2011, and another on April 28 this year — which resulted in scene of chaos and violence on the streets of this usually peaceful capital city.

To dull the uproar, however, Najib has taken great pains to improve civil liberties in Malaysia, even agreeing to repeal the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Sedition Act, enacting a new law to regulate public gatherings, agreeing to allow student participation in politics and relaxing provisions in laws governing press freedom.

But after the last protest on April 28, foreign media reports predicted that the government’s handling of the event would likely undermine Najib’s image as a reformist and force the prime minister to delay the next general election.

Several newswires, picked up by major newspapers globally, also took the same stance, with Reuters reporting that police action raised “the risk of a political backlash that could delay national polls which had been expected as early as June.”

Agence France-Presse also said that “the rally poses a dilemma for Najib, who since last year’s crackdown has sought to portray himself as a reformer, launching a campaign to repeal authoritarian laws in a bid to create what he called ‘the greatest democracy’.”

Several reports pointed to the first Bersih rally held just months before the March 2008 elections, which saw BN record its worst electoral performance ever, ceding its customary two-thirds supermajority in Parliament and five state governments.

Najib took over from Tun Abdullah Badawi a year later, ostensibly to improve on the results and some observers say only a return to two-thirds majority will guarantee he remains Umno president.

Widespread condemnation from the international press of Putrajaya’s crack down on last July’s Bersih rally saw Najib announce a raft of reforms including a parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms and the Peaceful Assembly Act, a major concession to win back an alienated middle-class.

But the findings of a bipartisan panel have been criticised as cosmetic by civil society and the opposition and yesterday’s planned sit-in was the first major test of the new law regulating demonstrations the BN chief says abides by “international norms”.

The foreign press had at the time also widely carried global civil liberties watchdog Human Rights Watch’s criticism of the government, saying it showed “contempt for its people’s basic rights and freedoms.”

“Despite all the talk of ‘reform’ over the past year, we’re seeing a repeat of repressive actions by a government that does not hesitate to use force when it feels its prerogatives are challenged,” said Phil Robertson, its deputy Asia director.

Apart from Bersih, the BN administration has also earned itself international condemnation for bringing charges of sexual misconduct and sodomy against Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim numerous occasions, a move that the leader’s supporters have claimed was merely to stifle his campaign to topple the ruling pact.

Several cases of deaths in custody over the past few years had also cast the government in the spotlight for alleged human rights abuses. One example is the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock, whose death, which occurred while he was under the care of anti-graft officials, has continued to haunt the government since 2009.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

But the Bar Council gets no flak eh? The Bar Council needs to hammer BN too, even sue BN for APARTHEID and lack of :

Najib alone cannot be blamed but is definitely complicit. If all other agencies did their work, Najib would be out of work. UN needs to address the bunch of racists affecting Najib’s judgment. Signing this does not change the above 3 lacks. Bar Council being so supposedly educated and ‘legal’ can see this. Act yet? Or still waiting for moi to sue the Malaysian Government?

(TMI) — Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang appeared today to admit that PAS may never entirely abandon its plans to impose hudud for Muslims and had only softened its approach on the matter as the Islamist party knew it could not rule without its non-Muslim allies in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

But the PAS president offered his word that if implemented, the controversial Islamic penal code would not be imposed on the non-Muslims, shooting down a suggestion yesterday by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“And the rights of non-Muslims are allowed by their own religion … for example, liquor is allowed by their religion … although it is haram in Islam, it is still their right.”

Dr Mahathir had stepped into the hudud fray yesterday, challenging the party to implement hudud for all, including the non-Muslims, in order to be fair.

During the stretch of the party’s annual meet this weekend, the PAS leadership seemed to deliberately dodge the issue of hudud and the party’s Islamic state ideals, moving instead to appear more inclusive with slogans that advocate religious tolerance and acceptance.

But the party’s religious conservatives in the ulama wing and youth members insisted on raising the controversial issue, which has put a strain on PAS’ ties with PR ally DAP.

In his policy speech at the opening of the muktamar, Abdul Hadi focussed on PAS’ plans to improve Malaysia’s economy should PR come to power and skirted around hudud and the implementation of the Islamic state.

But the veteran politician could not avoid the matter today, after PAS continued to find itself the target of critics who complained of the party’s apparent failure to stick to its ideals.

He would not expressly state if PAS would push ahead with its hudud agenda but appeared to suggest that the matter had to be shelved for the sake of its non-Muslim partners in PR.

“We want to rule a country, if it’s just PAS, then it will be impossible (for us) to rule,” he told reporters.

The Marang MP’s remarks today will likely draw more criticism from PAS’ political foes who have often accused the party of straying from its Islamic ideals and bowing down to its allies for the sake of wresting federal power.

PAS also reiterated today that there is no friction between the party and DAP, with which they have gone into collision course on issues such as Islamic state and hudud.

“Don’t equate them disagreeing over hudud, with them rejecting (Islam). It is not the same.”

Abdul Hadi’s statements came after PAS’s religious wing continued to reaffirm its stand on hudud, insisting that it should be implemented if the party wins a significant majority in the next election.

“So far, hudud is still relevant,” said Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamad, the Deputy Chief of PAS Ulama wing during the closing speech at the muktamar.

“We will implement hudud in a democratic system if we win a lot of seats. It is not impossible that hudud can be implemented in Malaysia.”

Mahfodz reminded the PAS leadership that they should not forget Islam and hudud while they fight through the next campaign stage to reach Putrajaya.

“A ‘benevolent state’ must be based on the Quran, sunnah and ijtihad … not the -isms which contradict Islam,” he added.

This remark followed the information chief for the women’s wing, Aiman Athirah’s call for delegates to work harder so that PAS can lead Pakatan Rakyat (PR), and for President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to be elected as the prime minister if the party wins in the next election.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Dials? Whats that an NLP ‘trigger word’, code? Anyway, good to hear that Hudud might not be summarily imposed on Malaysians BUT . . .

Hadi may want to consider if Muslims will be allowed Article 18 of the UN Human Rights Charter rights to Apostasy, and the Non-Muslims will be allowed EQUALITY in all aspects of Law and Constitution, and also for non-Muslims to have RLD and Gambling districts in suitable places in state capitals of appropriate size AS WELL as OPZs (Organic Psychedelic Zones) like Amsterdam has. There are SERIOUS gaps in Hadi’s address and acceptance of PMship, which while tolerable if the above issues are made clear, cannot precede PAS taking up the mantle of the ruling party much less neglect Orang Asli stolen land issues as well as forced conversions of non-Muslims, continuation of Bumiputra Aparthied (perhaps INCLUDE all non-Malays and non-Muslims of a certain wealth level who are willing to apply BUT under no sneak conversion tactics or attempts at proselytization) etc..

Conversely Bumiputra Apartheid could be ended entirely, millions worth Bumi should not get any discounts or special privileges at all, while the poor non-Muslim and non-Malays in fact should. This is a money issue and to ignore politics of non-Muslim rights and equality, this becomes a display of PAS’s inward lookingness and sheer neglect of common sense and civilisation that a PM of any country needs. No problem if Hadi is made PM, but not without address of the above which are innate rights of ALL MANKIND and neglected for oppressive purposes for decades in Malaysia. Malaysia is a single country within the nations of a world, and not a very large or powerful country, needs to address issues as above.

To show he meant business, PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hasan yesterday laid bare his personal assets during the winding down speech at the wing’s muktamar.

Nasrudin, 42, declared that he and his wife, a teacher, both draw an income of RM2,800 and RM4,000 respectively.

He also declared that he had RM9,000 in his bank account.

Out of his monthly RM2,800 income, RM2,500 is allowance from the party for his duties as PAS Youth chief while RM300 is rental income.

The father of six also tabled the breakdown of his monthly expenses comprising of a home loan at RM530 and his vehicle for which he pays RM1,400 monthly.

“Meanwhile my wife is paying loan for her own house at RM1,230 a month. These are the assets I am declaring, that I owned, as a gimmick for the assets declaration proposal, insha Allah that will be followed by all PAS Youth exco members,” he said.

PAS Youth had earlier announced that its executive council members including those not contesting in the coming general election would have to declare their assets.

During the opening of PAS Youth’s general meeting, party deputy president Mohamad Sabu gave his commitment to turn the proposal into a reality, but reminded that assets declaration must also be made at the end of one’s office term.

-Harakahdaily

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Don’t do the Rakyat no favours. Declaring assets is NOTHING AT ALL. Try ending apartheid or extreme religion and even distributing land or housing to the poor OF ALL RACES. Assets only? Big deal? At end of term? WORSE deal. Hiding ‘abit’ is hiding all the same. Why not declare NOW instead of months away so that ‘assets’ can be hidden by then? Who cares if assets are declared AFTER the term? BEFORE the term starts would be meaningful for asset declarations, but ONLY AFTER terms end? Cynical and obviously stalling for time.

ARTICLE 6

Possibly inaccurate but will post to see if any response that can clarify . . .

Theory? Or Truth?

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

My theory based guess is that drugs are in fact USED by politicians to astrally project so that they can peek in on others and gain advantage against them, if not illegal cams have been installed everywhere already. Look at the colours the podium speaker is wearing here, Rasta colours. Who knows those with minds too strong will be targeted by GOVERNMENT, or political drug users, which possibly are typical of ALL so-called or organized religions. The hierarchy of religions could well be based around drug taking and hence the desire to illegalise drugs so that the will of the world becomes that of their narrow limited and religious biased one. Perhaps these are not religious men, perhaps these are ADDICTS intent on religious and political control using drugs as a weapon of choice. Please feel free to discuss if the premise is off, or warn to remove if considered offensive – suggestions of a more suitable repost will be appreciated if needed.

A GROUP of transvestites in revealing outfits was detained by religious authorities for trying to offer sexual services.

Sinar Harian reported that they were spotted waiting for customers in Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur.

The six transvestites ran helter-skelter when they saw an enforcement team from the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) and officers from the Al-Azim mosque making their rounds at 5am on Thursday.

It was learnt the transvestites charged as low as RM50.

Al-Azim mosque officer Ahmad Nawi Osman said some of the transvestites suffered light injuries when they fell while running up a flight of stairs.

“All of them, aged between 20 and 38, were arrested,” he said, adding that one transvestite disclosed that it was difficult to find work and gain acceptance in society, causing him to resort to such a job.

> Kosmo! reported that the body of a missing two-year-old boy had been found. The body was believed to have been partly eaten by a monitor lizard.

Hadziq Hassan, missing since last Saturday, was found in Segaliud, Sandakan, on Wednesday night.

A surveyor, who was working in the area, made the discovery.

The boy was reported missing at Batu 25, Kampung Garinono after he and his family attended a relative’s wedding in Kampung Manis.

His body was found about 3km from the relative’s house.

Sandakan OCPD Asst Comm Rowell Marong said the body was identified by his family and was sent to the Duchess of Kent Hospital for an autopsy.

> A total of 26 foreign women, including four underaged girls, were detained by the Negri Sembilan Immigration Department for allegedly working as guest relations officers, reported Harian Metro.

The four Vietnamese girls, aged between 14 and 16, were believed to have been tricked into taking up the job at an entertainment centre in Seremban.

State immigration director Faizal Fazri Othman said three of the four girls entered the country using a visitor’s pass while the other girl used a student pass.

Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this > sign, it denotes a separate news item.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Adult services are a human right of non-Muslims and if these transpersons were not Muslim, they should be left alone at least while legal action to ensure proper zones are assigned for such activities for non-Muslims. Luck? These are human rights abuses.

However, he acknowledged that Nik Aziz had been advised by his doctor to go for a check-up every day to treat a “prostate problem”.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

A potential core elite of statesmen, at least in ensuring of separation of powers. Karpal unfortunately represents endemic nepotism and limitless terms as well. Hence Sallehuddin and Datuk Mahfuz Omar have become that much more statesmanlike (do these exceptions stand AGAINST Hudud?) If so, we might be looking at future PMs . . . ) than Karpal, even if the above suggestion which came from moi, was taken up by Karpal. TERM LIMITS and NO FAMILY BLOCS ‘KARPAL’. Any ‘Karipap’ (or Al-Karipap? Karpal . . . ) seller could run for election and win, simply by democratic considerations against nepotism and limitless terms of Karpal and sons. This is GOVERNMENT not a family business.

The Malaysian police know I live in Manchester. Malaysians in the UK know I live in Manchester. Malaysians in Australia, New Zealand, the US, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc., know I live in Manchester. The Malaysian High Commission in London and the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur know I live in Manchester. Only Victor Lim alone thinks I live in Dr Mahathir’s apartment in London. He knows that but he does not know what the address is or whether Dr Mahathir really does own an apartment in London.

The most valuable part of a democratic and pluralistic society is the right to choose. Everyone can choose to support anything they think is right.

The United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) rally scheduled on November 25 with the objective to pressure the government is a choice of struggle. The United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong) and the Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia (Hua Zong) have the right not to participate and choose to correct the unreasonable content in the National Education Blueprint preliminary report through communication and follow-up.

Similar to anti-environment movements, some people chose to take part in the 300km Kuantan-KL Green Walk. Their persistence and perseverance has won respect and admiration.

In politics, people also have the right to choose whether to change the government, strengthen the two-party-system or maintain the status quo.

Changing the government is an ideal and it can hardly become a reality if only a small number of people are supporting it. Therefore, the ruling and alternative coalitions must convey their political programmes and policies to the public through various platforms, including mass assemblies and annual general assemblies to fight for more support.

To me, the Pakatan Rakyat’s performance has not yet reached my personal demand. However, as I believe that democracy requires checks and balances, I support the two-party system. If the majority supports the two-party system, it is possible to bring a major change.

In a democratic country, everyone has the right to choose based on his/her own judgement and cognitive thinking. Therefore, it is not necessary for others to be so nervous or intimidate them into changing their stand.

Many people are confused about the meaning of democracy due to the intense political struggle. Some people are excessively fanatical to the extent of slandering and labelling those who have made a different choice.

French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher Voltaire said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Who can still remember the words? Many people have instead lost their magnanimity and tolerance and attack whoever say something unpleasant. Democracy should never be like this.

All people make mistakes, regardless of how just they claimed themselves are. Calling themselves just does not mean that they cannot be criticised and corrected.

The BN has indeed made many mistakes and there is much room for improvement. Similarly, the Pakatan Rakyat state governments also have many inadequacies in governance. Being overly emotional has caused everyone unable to see the reality clearly.

Back to the Dong Zong rally, it is a peaceful civil demonstration and it is not necessary to label it as an “anti-government” movement. Adopting the path of dialogue to fight is not “heinous crime” either. Why can’t the Chinese organisations work together to achieve the same goal since all of them are serving the Chinese community? Without tolerance and the sense of balance, it could end up following the path of politics, namely people categorise those who are not called friends as enemies.

Most Chinese affairs are of voluntary or conscience nature. If it evolves into a life-and-death game, the Chinese community will first collapse before the winner of the political game is decided.

Life was boring and monotonic in the past when people were not granted the right to choose. It is good to have choice. But choices also bring us confusion and distress.

As the general election is approaching, people become more and more impetuous. We must first calm down to avoid being diverted by “choices”.

********************************************

The day Najib outfoxed all Malaysians…

Victor Lim, Free Malaysia Today

Now, wasn’t it Daim who predicted that five states would fall prior to the 2008 political tsunami? And it was correct – Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor and Kelantan.

And who and where this prediction was first publicised? Raja Petra Kamarudin’s (RPK’s) Malaysia-Today (MT) news portal.

Malaysians who have been following RPK’s writings were shocked, when after the 2008 general election, he began associating himself with Mahathir – meeting his sifu (master) in his Petronas twin-tower office.

Many could not understand or believe how RPK, who was so vocal against BN-Umno and one of the pioneers of the Free Anwar Reformasi Movement, could make such an about turn.

Many MT readers are still puzzled and cannot believe what was happening and why RPK’s writings started to slant towards Umno.

However, RPK’s slant is now cautiously back to the Opposition, championing the need to change? What’s going on? Simple! The cyber mercenary writer is financially backed by Mahathir and Daim.

In 2008, Mahathir and Daim’s common political pest was Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. So, RPK’s mission was to destabilise and erode support for Umno and Abdullah. It worked wonderfully, and as they say, the rest is history.

Now, Mahathir and Daim’s common political enemy is Najib. And do you now see the similar strategic political attacks from Mahathir and RPK?

If you still don’t believe that Mahathir and Daim are RPK’s sponsors, then you give me the answers to the following questions:

* RPK was the one who came up with the damning statutory declaration that implicated Najib and his wife, Rosmah, in the murder of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu and the link to the Scorpene submarines’ graft allegations. Why?

* RPK was picked up by police and then charged. But after he was released on bail, how the hell did such a high profile political figure leave the country undetected?

* Who had the power and influence to facilitate his (RPK’s) migration? This was what I posted about RPK on Sept 10, 2012.

Talk is spreading like wild fire in Malaysia that the famous or infamous cyber operator, depending on which side of the political divide you stand, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, or more popularly referred to as RPK, is residing in an apartment in London belonging to the racist former prime minister Mahathir Mohamed.

RPK can feel free to clarify or attack me as we believe in freedom of speech and democracy, don’t we?

********************************************

When the issue favours the Chinese cause, they will scream democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of choice, the right to choose, agree to disagree, and so on. However, if it does not favour the Chinese cause, they will scream you are a turncoat, traitor, Trojan horse, frog, mole, you have been bought, and much more.

That is the ugly side of the Chinese. Freedom means freedom to agree with me, not freedom to disagree with me.

To people like Victor Lim, if you say or write anything that is perceived as pro-government, then this means you have been paid to do so. What about those who say or write something perceived as pro-opposition? Does this not also mean you have been paid to do so?

No! It does not. That just means you are noble. Those who support the opposition are noble. And if you do not support the opposition that can only mean one thing — you support the government. It is like religion. Either you are a Muslim or you are a Christian. And if you are not a Christian then you must surely be a Muslim. That is the only logical explanation.

To Victor Lim, your very action of not supporting the opposition is ‘evidence’ you have been paid. Using that same yardstick as ‘proof of guilt’, we will have to assume that Victor Lim is also a paid writer and his master must surely be Tian Chua. Can we, therefore, accept whatever Victor Lim says as the truth? Paid writers like Victor Lim would definitely lie through their teeth.

Victor Lim says he believes in democracy and freedom of speech. But when I exercise my democratic right of freedom of speech he vilifies me. The Malays call this bikin tak serupa cakap. Is this a Chinese cultural thing or what? Is this the best the so-called 5,000 years of Chinese ‘civilisation’ can produce? You appear puzzled as to why very few Malays trust the Chinese. Well, that’s because the Malays know that bikin tak serupa cakap type of people just cannot be trusted.

Probably 50 or more Malaysians have come to my house in Manchester, many of them Malaysians from Malaysia. Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, Zaid Ibrahim, Mat Sabu, Saari Sungib, and many more have all been to my house — some even spent the night at my house.

There are many more Malaysians from London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Reading, Scotland — in fact, from almost every city in the UK — who have visited me in Manchester. Yet Victor Lim says: Raja Petra Kamaruddin, or more popularly referred to as RPK, is residing in an apartment in London belonging to the racist former prime minister Mahathir Mohamed.

And he can’t even get the spelling of my name right. It is Raja Petra Kamarudin and not Raja Petra Kamaruddin. And what Free Anwar Reformasi Movement is Victor Lim talking about? Clearly Victor Lim tembak only. There is so such movement called Free Anwar Reformasi Movement. This is a fabrication by Victor Lim.

Anyway, what is the address of Dr Mahathir’s apartment? Does Dr Mahathir even own an apartment in London in the first place? And when did I move in to that apartment?

So you see, Victor Lim is bullshitting because I have never lived in London (at least not since 1956), never mind in whose apartment in London. I have been living in Manchester since the day I arrived. In fact, my family has been living in Manchester for 11 years now, since 2001, eight years before I came over.

The Malaysian police know I live in Manchester. Malaysians in the UK know I live in Manchester. Malaysians in Australia, New Zealand, the US, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc., know I live in Manchester. The Malaysian High Commission in London and the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur know I live in Manchester. Only Victor Lim alone thinks I live in Dr Mahathir’s apartment in London. He knows that but he does not know what the address is or whether Dr Mahathir really does own an apartment in London.

Can you see how they lie? And to these types of people lying comes under the category of freedom of speech. But if you were to reply to that lie, that is not considered freedom of speech. Freedom of speech means they can say things about you but you can’t say things about them.

Budaya apa ni? Budaya 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation ke?

Victor Lim also said: Malaysians who have been following RPK’s writings were shocked, when after the 2008 general election, he began associating himself with Mahathir – meeting his sifu (master) in his Petronas twin-tower office.

In fact, in the 2006 PKR annual general assembly in Penang, Azmin Ali whacked me in his speech. And Anwar Ibrahim sat there on stage smirking like the cat that had swallowed the canary as Azmin Ali whacked me for ‘bersekongkong dengan Dr Mahathir Mohamed’.

Hence, if you want to accuse me of ‘collaborating’ with Dr Mahathir then this collaboration started more than six years ago and two years before the 2008 general election. And if I had collaborated with Dr Mahathir more than six years ago and two years before the 2008 general election, how can I be a turncoat? A turncoat is someone who changes sides. I never changed sides after the 2008 general election. I have been with Dr Mahathir since two years BEFORE the 2008 general election.

And do you know what? Many PAS and DAP leaders — and many of them top leaders at that, too — also attended that 24th June 2006 dialogue with Dr Mahathir. Even the ex-PKR Deputy President turned up. So what have you got to say about all those PAS, DAP and PKR leaders who attended that dialogue with Dr Mahathir organised by Malaysia Today at the Kelab Century Paradise on 24th June 2006?

In the Kota Bharu dialogue the following month, the Kelantan Menteri Besar, Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, attended the session and shared the stage with Dr Mahathir. He also attended the dinner in honour of Dr Mahathir that same night. Nik Aziz felt he needed to play host to the ex-Prime Minister since he (Nik Aziz) is, after, all the Menteri Besar of Kelantan.

Maybe the Pakatan Rakyat supporters should learn how to tell the truth for once. You accuse Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, NST, The Star, TV3, RTM, etc. of lying. But what difference are the opposition supporters? You are as blatant in your lying as the people you accuse of lying.

And why do you not respond, point-by-point, to the issues I have raised? I have been raising many issues since the mid-1990s — ever since I first started writing for Harakah in 1997 and I first launched my own website in 1994. What I am saying now is what I have been saying for the last 18 years. What am I saying now that I did not say back in the 1990s?

If I am wrong then rebut me with what you think is the truth. But you don’t do that. Instead of replying, you just hurl allegations against me and totally ignore what I say. And the only ‘rebuttal’ thus far is just a plain denial. Denial is no defence. If it is then Najib Tun Razak never met Altantuya Shaariibuu since he has denied meeting her.

In short, you know what I say is correct and you know there is no way you can rebut what I say. Hence you ignore what I say and do not reply to it and instead make all sorts of allegations, which are very far from the truth.

This is just like those Umno blogs that say I live in London and that one day I was so drunk I fell into a monsoon drain. Many kampong-minded Umno supporters who have never been to London and do not know that the UK does not have a monsoon season and London does not have monsoon drains will, of course, believe this story.

These opposition diehards are just the reverse of the same coin called Umno. They are all cut from the same cloth. Their doctrine is: you are free to agree with me but God help you if you say something that I don’t like.

Oh, by the way, take a look at the picture below. Today, some people in PAS are saying that they want Tok Guru Abdul Hadi Awang instead of Anwar Ibrahim to be the Prime Minister of Malaysia if Pakatan Rakyat wins the next general election. I already ‘said’ this four years ago. And if you can’t interpret what that picture means then you are dumber than I thought.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

i) No! It does not. That just means you are noble. Those who support the opposition are noble. And if you do not support the opposition that can only mean one thing — you support the government. It is like religion. Either you are a Muslim or you are a Christian. And if you are not a Christian then you must surely be a Muslim. That is the only logical explanation.

Noble?!? Seeing Pakatan’s 90% failed manifesto lies and ethical or democratic (nepotistic) flaws for what DAP is, is noble. To praise those who support Pakatan as noble – is not noble.

ii) And if you do not support the opposition that can only mean one thing — you support the government.

Inculpating hegelian dialectic thought still eh? Either or? How about ‘none of the above’? Better yet, how about ‘make your own option’ or make your own political party or run for candidacy as an independent candidate. RPK is not a democratic man, and spins propaganda that kills freedom of thought as well as skews facts. Pakatan is a failure as bad as BN. The 3rd Force indies among citizens could likely be better than eithetr BN or PR, so please don;t try to make lies into truth. Money cannot buy breeding as much as breeding cannot buy HONESTY and ETHICS which are prerequisite to the status of NOBILITY. If for love the people RPK, or love for democracy, this sort of article will never appear on media. The readers should know what RPK represents by now.

iii) The ugly side of the Chinese

Apartheid and racism directed at any race, will bring out the very worst of any race. Who threw the first blow here? Not the Chinese. Look in the mirror and decide if racism or apartheid is what reflects . . . Enuff said.

Looks like the Constitutional Lawsuit needs to be carried out by unknowns, to ensure :

Does power always rely on threat? Why is fair mindedness so elusive to some sorry souls?

Man seeks equality and fair treatment, but threats of murder and nasty tricks (like cement pools for the love of semen rather than EQUALITY) are the signs of mental illness and techno-fascism. Fight fair and find that some low minded dhimmitudisation a certain race holds to, have no part of Humanity’s future much like apes who did not use fire, or understand that the Human Rights Charter is not something a country signs for fun, nor being a Muslim allows for such blatant displays of ill meaning natures, bronze souls do not belong in the arena of words (and will be treated to what they deserve) and those with so much who want to take even more from even equality, that will threaten for mere monetary gain, need to talk to the clerics at Al-Azhar University, search their souls at their so-called Kabaa of Islam before threatening people with death which will never be on the side of the unjust and profane . . . are we to understand that there is no religion and only politics and murder in Malaysia and a certain coalition, much less at very least ethics? Everything these UMNO or BN people have today is from the idiotic voting choice of the taxpayers and now these guys dare threaten the 99% who made them? Disappointing.

Let me start by asking you these questions. Does Islam encourage you to devastate the forests? Does Islam encourage you to wipe out your wildlife? Does Islam encourage you to fuck up minority communities (e.g. the Orang Asli)? Does Islam encourage you to venture into business without knowing head or tail of that business? Does Islam encourage you to repeat your mistakes, year in, year out for 20 years? Does Islam encourage you to close your eyes to the rape of your land?

The answer is obvious. Of course, Islam DOES NOT encourage you to do all these things. But I think the Kelantan MB Nik Aziz and his merrymen from PAS have a different understanding than the rest of us.

I first visited Lojing Highlands, Kelantan was in 1991. Nik Aziz was already the MB of Kelantan then. The area was a mess. Vast tracts of forest were being cleared to make way for agriculture. And these were pristine highland forests at elevations ranging from 500m – 1500m. Tens of thousands of hectares were given away to State government linked companies as well as friendly parties to develop highland agriculture.

The state government mantra then was “if the farmers in Cameron Highlands can do it, so can we”. The geniuses in Kelantan at that time thought they could replicate Cameron Highlands which at that time had a total 2000 hectares of agriculture land. They thought if 2000 hectares in CH can produce RM x million revenue, then opening 20,000 hectares in Lojing will produce RM 10x million.

They forgot something very important. The farmers in Cameron Highlands have had 50 years of farming experience in the highlands. Their farms were small, averaging 1 – 2 hectares. They were individual farmers who slogged their butts off for managing even a 2-hectare farm in the mountains was a major undertaking. No sane person will open up thousands of hectares in the highlands to do farming.

I returned to Lojing several times since. 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2011. Nothing has changed. Highland forests are continuously being opened up on large scale (obviously the geniuses in Kelantan have not learnt anything about highlands agriculture). Obviously, some people are making tonnes of money from the timber that is being ripped off from the so-called “agriculture land”. The rivers have silted up. Wildlife has disappeared. The Orang Asli communities are worse off than they were 20 years ago.

Hills being ripped off for so-called “agriculture”

Free teh tarik anyone? The once pristine Sg. Brooke and Sg. Belatop are now just mud flows.

Logging is still widespread in Lojing. This is despite the national policy prohibiting logging at elevations above 1000m.

This is where teh tarik comes from. Land opened up for “agriculture” with almost no erosion control measures.

Most of the agriculture development in Lojing have failed. The companies benefitted from selling of the timber from the thousands of hectares of land given to them. The 1000-hectares Yakin tea plantation has been abandoned (yo, you dungus in Nik Aziz’s office – just because Boh can manage a tea plantation, does not mean that you also can. Boh is in that business. You are not. You just plundered that 1000 hectares). PKINK was given over 1000 hectare for orchards and agro-tourism – sampai sekarang habuk pun tak ade.Kayu balak dah lesap.

Land ownership in Lojing Highlands. I am sorry if you can’t read the map. Almost 30,000 hectares have been given away to state-linked companies and state agencies and friendly companies over the past 20 years. Almost zero productivity expect for the timber that has been taken away. Mind you these are all highland country with mostly steep slopes.

A few Chinese farmers from Cameron Highlands who leased small areas from Kelantan state government linked companies are doing pretty well. Other than that, agriculture output from Lojing is minimal – despite it being more than 20 years since Nik Aziz and his merrymen opened and devastated Lojing. None of the state government linked companies and state agencies have produced anything substantial despite wiping out over 20,000 hectares of pristine highland forests Nothing. Kosong. Telor ayam. In every aspect, Lojing has been a disaster.

The environmental cost must be epic. The amount of erosion and sedimentation from Lojing must run into the hundreds of millions of tonnes over the past 20 years. The once gorgeous Sg. Brooke and its tributaries are now nothing but mud flows. An area that was rich in wildlife is now pretty pathetic. Great damage was inflicted onto the Orang Asli communities in Pos Brooke, Pos Hendrop and Pos Blau. All their water sources were destroyed. The forests that they depended for food and other produce were devastated. The orang asli traditional land were given to outsiders or usurped by state agencies.

If you think I am lying, I suggest you take a drive to Lojing. It is just an hour or less from Cameron Highlands. See the damages for yourself. The rape has been going on continuously for more than 20 years.

I would like to end my story by asking Nik Aziz this “Is this Islamic?”

I counted 300 timber trucks on the Gua Musang road coming out of the Lojing area nearly 15 years ago. Still have the photographs….
Little point in condemning the decisions/actions that have lead to the present dire consequences. Perhaps we ought to consider instead how & what can be done to heal the Lojing scar of our apolitical MotherEarth in some truly creative ways.
November 11, 2012 10:05 AM
@CK said…

the way Kelantan is administered is an insult to Islam. Kelantan is now the poorest state in Malaysia, has the highest rape, incest and HIV cases. All the smart Kelantanese have left the state.
November 11, 2012 6:24 PM
@Lisa said…

Everybody did it. When I fly in Europe and look down on the landscape, there is not a single, not a single piece of land undeveloped. Not a single small hill. You can take off from Amsterdam and land in The Prague and you will not find it. I’ve been through this frustration on seeing how our land has been bled since the 90s and cried and wrote to newspapers, but I must say, and I’m sorry but it was pointless.
November 12, 2012 9:11 AM

@Cat-from-Sydney said…

Your Royal Monyetness,
We have visited this place many times and still cry when we see the scars on Mother Earth. Will be there again next week, hopefully with better results as cooperation from the natives is quite difficult to obtain. purrrr….meow!
November 12, 2012 9:17 AM

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Rivers should have a 1km ‘off limits’ buffer or green lung. Water tables perhaps a minimum of 10km worth. As for cultivation or farming, micromanagement is reliant on the ‘energy’ of individuals, so mass produced versions will never have the same quality, or as the article suggests will fail entirely or at least take longer than usual. A farmer of tea has ‘tea energy’, city people without any energy but city energy will not be able to grow anything, and MUST start from microscale (heck some can’t even tend garden) before ‘managing’ massive plantations. Farm conglomerates might possibly be impossible from land alone, the heart and interest of the person MUST be there, or all cultivation will not be comparable. This must also be considered against environment and the spiritual nature of the area a product is from. TEA from an Islamic prayer ‘ridden/infested’ area (Islam strip mines spiritually IMHO, thats why all those forests tend to become deserts or urban deserts wherever Muslims are) and will not be bought by markets, and that is why Chinese neutrality has made so much Chinese produce somehow so buyable, or Thai rice for example (which still has dangerously Buddhist leanings . . . ).

COFFEE from Islamic prayer ‘ridden/infested’ areas like UAE, most of Malaysia or even less secular parts of Indonesia (civet cat pre-pooped or not) will also be doomed to failure, simply because the buyers do not want to be Islamised by proxy. Conversely consider why Brazilian (sea, surf and bootay!) coffee ‘somehow’ seems superior – thats because there are no robed ghosties of locals hovering around the plants after hours with intent to ‘Islamise’. AT least in occult theory informed buyers at least, products from ‘religious’ areas are UNBUYABLE perhaps excepting the ‘Wuwei’ mentality of the Chinese (inaction) that actually improves a product by sheer non-investment of the pathos that other religions infuse their products with! Intent (or NEUTRALITY of intent) gives the product pedigree, and only the most secular producers can win in this game (which is why USA’s fanchises are somewhat ahead, though tainted by Freemasonry to a degree). Spiritual CLEANLINESS/NEUTRALITY of food is CRITICAL for sales assurances.

Tea from fundo heartland Malaysia? Forget that, India and China takes the cake FOREVER instead where tea is concerned. Though coconuts as well from India have the same pollution, the informed had better give the Indian grown coconuts or coconut products a wide berth. The whole gamut of Malaysian products is thus spiritually POLLUTED, and for a generalised (and cautiously presumptuous) example, from experiences at WW2, Austwictz may have just made German products that much more ethical (Nazi SS used alot of occultism, but since they have given up on that, the products PERHAPS are superiorly secular where applicable, though Caucasian obsession with the Aramean faith of Xianity and Xianity’s brand of proselytization could still down them, Judaism’s conversions are far more subtle but equally manipulative to no point as all 3 Monotheisms are Amon-Ra derived which was the invention of the reviled heretic Pharoah in any case – bring back the original faith systems regionally to put an end to the insanity . . .)

Then consider education and religious education (even more dangerous) and here you have the reasons for failures of such and such races. The spiritual hostility/manipulation guarantees failure. Let me say though what Malaysia might be worth – low density/nomadic ORANG ASLI UBAT *from* rainforests that could be worth a fortune, but all Malaysia has now are sprawling grey expanses of prayer blaring in neighbourhoods of backbiting political wannabes filled with greed and hatred towards other races and of course the faux-Arab ulama wannabes harrassing all and sundry with Hudud, all of the above who have who forgotten their beautiful naturistic Orang Asli beginnings.

So much for Malaysia’s viability and uniqueness, just a spiritual colony of the Arabs who already are more known for violent puishments (Hudud limb hacking, beheading), religious insularism (this and that are polluting/polluted these people are beneath us! / different God or Godless so are enemeies immediately/must be cursed to go to Hell (which might be an semi-dream state world as much as Heaven, created from constant inculpation while ALIVE so when dying hallucinates about, or has the inculpated NDE type experience) – luckily there are more people and better tech armed nations to counter thse barbarians), low tolerance to other cultures (eat pork or drink alcohol so entire peoples must be targeted, facilities for processing disallowed etc..) and terrorism (drawing a bomb turban cartoon means innocent people not involved in the 10th Crusade, who have never ever heard of the Prophet must die while on the way to work in a subway or have their Twin Towers collapse) than anything else. Islam is a copy of Xianity which is a copy of Judaism which is a copy of Amon-Ra which was a result of Heretic Pharoah Akenathan’s LAZINESS. Guess those 72 virgins might have been guess who’s fond mirage while struggling in a hellish oasis bordering a desert creating hell on Earth – how about a volcanic region called New Hell in the deepest desert, would be fitting . . .

Islam and Arabism is unique and very distinct, but bloodthirsty, impractical, too martial and not viable for this generation of YoutubeVid/MTV making, subculture studied, politically aware world citizens who’d rather be eating whatever meat of their choice (including PORK), drinking alcohol, smoking pot and contemplating the Universe (while dressed in BDSM fetish wear or Cosplay?) than irritating/trying to destroy peoples, communities, countries (at very last being manipulatively sanctimonious about being vegetarian) that are different from them. Religion belongs to the last millenia, and though religion should be kept alive and have spaces, cannot be allowed to impinge on secular people, legally, spiritually or otherwise. There must be spaces for all even if any group’s beliefs/activities are supposedly illegal to another – with the choice of consent to be part of any community the democratic choice of the individual ABOVE the preference of the state.

GEORGE TOWN- The DAP disciplinary committee will decide the fate of Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai after he failed to turn up at the recent state assembly meeting.

Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow said the state working committee had decided to refer Koay’s absence at the meeting between Nov 1 and 9 to the disciplinary committee.

Chow said the disciplinary committee will be made up of a five-member panel. They will be drawn from the central executive committee and headed by Tan Kok Wai.

It was reported Koay would also face disciplinary action for ignoring Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s refusal to approve his leave.

He missed the assembly to attend a meeting on the United States Election/Project for Young Political Leaders organised by the US embassy without Lim’s permission. Koay could not be reached for comment.

– New Straits Times

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

F**k DAP. Who cares what DAP thinks? Only the RAKYAT living in Pulau Tikus will decide if the Pulau Tikus adun stays or not! Maybe DAP will be replaced by independent candidates by the next GE. DAP has failed 90% of campaign manifestos and has NEVER addressed APARTHEID of BUMIPUTERA.

ARTICLE 14

Yes, you must behave, Bung — Erna Mahyuni – November 22, 2012

Nov 22 — You have to admire the Kinabatangan MP on some level. No other MP gladly puts his foot in his mouth with so much relish, you begin to wonder if his foot is delicious.

Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin in person is an affable man, who prides himself on his “every man” demeanour, and talks more like your drunk uncle than a lawmaker.

The problem is, Bung, is that you’re not just an embarrassing family member but an elected Member of Parliament.

There are expectations that come with the role, unfortunately.

One of them is the realisation that you can’t just say what you want, when you want.

Being an elected representative means there are standards of behaviour we expect you to meet.

At the very least, you shouldn’t swear, in public, especially at one of the people you are hoping votes for you in the next election.

Must I remind you GE13 is just around the corner???We’re all allowed a slip of the tongue once in a while. We’re all human, after all.

The problem with you, Bung, is that you don’t so much “slip”, as much as “stab” with your tongue.??What is unacceptable is that your Barisan Nasional leaders let you get away with your outrageous statements.

That bocor statement you made all that time ago? It was chauvinistic, rude and unacceptable. You didn’t just slur an opposition MP but all women. You have never apologised for that, have you? Don’t get me started on your smart remarks about women drivers.

But your greatest act of chauvinism, Bung, was ignoring the law of the land by refusing to ask permission from your first wife to marry your second. I can understand you were impatient, as your new wife is such a pretty young thing.

Did you forget you’re an elected official? Aren’t elected officials supposed to, you know, follow the rules?

Instead, you hopped off to Thailand for a quickie wedding and, unfortunately, got caught.??Being an MP doesn’t put you above the law.

If anything, you’re supposed to obey and uphold it. ??So it’s a little rich, your defending your right to use the F-word to ‘put someone in his/her place’.

You gave up that right when you took your oath. ??As a representative of the people, you are supposed to be someone we look up to. You are supposed to set an example.

You are supposed to maintain a code of conduct that we expect you to follow, because if you can’t follow it, then why should we???Some people think that calling you out for it in public is ‘sensationalising a non-issue’.

I beg to differ.

In other countries, MPs using foul words in public is frowned upon as well.

People are going to call you names and insult you.

Get used to it. As an MP, you must take the higher ground and ignore those who call you names.

As someone who gets plenty of insults on Twitter and in my column’s comments, I understand the need to vent.

But Twitter isn’t the place for it, Bung, and you know that.

All we’re asking from you is that you show a little class and save the F-word for occasions when half of Malaysia can’t hear you.

So behave, Bung.

Or we’ll have no qualms whatsoever not to vote for you or anyone you champion.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

Erna versus Bung . . . polygamy is not exclusively a preserve OR punching bag of any culture (ancient or modern), and more an expression of individuals in relation to other individuals commitment in numbers more than 2 . . . Radin or Raden btw is an ORIGINAL Indonesian name, without Islam’s/Arab’s influence. So at least 1 person in the MALAY Dewan has 2/3rds of a truly Nusantaran name . . .

WHAT? Even most adults of the day do not ask their parents if they can marry who and who, much less a wife, though consultations may take place.

There must be though certain courtesies that the civilised 2nd wife should respect AFTER marriage that a blackball by society can retaliate by at very most if they do not treat the first wife with general respect as expected in society (i.e. ‘CHIVALRY’ to the first wife, like pouring drinks or opening doors – this politeness contrived or not is for the pleasure and dignity of the HUSBAND btw.

The second wife should defer to the first wife in certain ways such as not being ‘competitive’ or not being arrogant (the begum of the harem must be respected because families are built around seniority based hierarchy to a degree – even if the first wife is not well studied or very educated or even pretty etc. . . . MANNERS makes for attractiveness and a dignified family), though the first wife may by reason that sex is available from the second or subsequent, refuse at reasonable intervals not more than 50% (or 66% in the case of 2 wives) of what was asked for in the past by the husband – barring ageing libidos.

The first wife also remains married to the husband *specifically* for the face of the children hereon, even in the case of chilled relations between her and the husband. But to ASK PERMISSION to marry? Whats wrong with you Erna?

As discussed in my blog elsewhere, SOME (only some) women experience a change in their bodies after having children, and this can also be a reason to refuse sex, and this also becomes the reason the husband gets a second or subsequent wife. Being a modern woman or even a lesbian or a feminist does not mean that older forms of family do no exist, Erma has not been mixing around alot with polygamous families even as androgamous families are anathema to the polygamous ones. You’re showing your narrow minded side here Erma!

No where Erna’s response is concerned. NO, anyone who has more than one wife NEED NOT behave in the way Erna Mahyuni describes. Erna doesn’t belong in Bung’s society (or harem), not should Erna cast stones at cultures that do not involve Erna. One of Erna’s lines of logic is viable though, MPs need more class AND term limits as well, so in calls for Bung to step down, Erna and moi will be on the same side though not for the same reasons (with Ernha’s reasoning stemming from some inadequacy or simplistic mindset that feels a need to attack Bung’s right to marry freely as much as Bung’s first wife has a right to demand a divorce (which is not happening as of this comment posting at any rate). Inverse jealousy perhaps? Hey there’s always plastic surgery . . .

ARTICLE 15

Muezzin of Pahang state mosque killed in accident – November 17, 2012

KUANTAN, Nov 17 — A muezzin of Sultan Ahmad 1 state mosque was killed in a road accident at the traffic junction near Jalan Tun Ismail here, this morning.

Under unwritten spiritual covenents of all religions, no intent for sneaky proselytization via vocalised psychic intent will be tolerated by ‘God’, or the following of whatever faith. All muezzins should sing with NEUTRALITY and sincerity and ONLY IN SPECIFIC PSYCHIC ADDRESS to consensual Muslims. I even heard a muezzin GARGLING while singing, obviously intended to proselytize that when a person gargles, they are ‘praying’ – this form of dishonesty is as damnable in ‘god’s’ view, as slurred satanic prayers in conventional lyrics in music (also NLP mispronunciations), a parent intentionally encouraging their children to make a ruckus to disturb the neighbours, or inserting ‘convertive symbolism’ in MTVs of any sort.

Ethics in INFORMED CONSENT or else the spirit that made a muezzin a Muslim will depart for the nearest best converted person and the muezzin will be spiritually impacted at least, hurt or even DIE, this could be anyone that hears the muezzin and is converted. The worthiest UNCONVERTED person will receive the ‘spirit’ of the muezzin. Needless to say a muezzin needs to have very clear intent while singing and being heard by so many that are not Muslim or may not even be friendly to Muslims, a muezzin’s job is particularly hazardous as opposed to the Ulama who is heard ONLY by the faithful. The only caveat of safety for the muezzin is an attitude of deference to those auditorily impinged by the prayer, even if just vaguely like a mosquito in the background, the spiritual effects in the astral and ethereal will be potentially quite dangerous. For Prophet had said :

Ayah 203 of Surah A’raaf: “Disrespect and rashness clouds the mind and it is only politeness and respect that brings more divine mercy.’

Singing WITH intent to convert without informed consent is RUDE and Allah will have no protection for those who behave in a disrespectful manner to non-Muslims who are minding their own business before being disturbed by a prayer they didn’t want to hear, disturbing their concentration which is their god given right. Some people (regardless of faith or wealth or position – an ordinary secular citizen, itinerant or beggar, who was asleep or resting enjoying the silence, might have been subconsciously been lending strength to a Mujaheedin in battle before the prayer of the Muezzin woke them up, causing the Mujaheedin to weaken at a critical moment and lose the battle in a critical region of the world where battles for/against Islam are continuing . . . or technical malfunctions in vehicles (even dangerous dimensional or temporal disruptions, releases of EMP type effects that interact with the ionosphere or even the Sun causing Earthquakes or Solar Flares etc..) may even be doing ‘god’s’ work, before a prayer disturbs them and hence god will punish the offender. Prayer by voice rather than loudspeaker though must be fairly tolerated, though again a prayer must not be ‘directed’ at any except to ‘god’ and for Human Rights and Democratic Principle respecting matters preferably.

ARTICLE 16

From Kuantan to Dataran Merdeka: The emancipatory journey for a green Malaysia — Boon Kia Meng – November 22, 2012

NOV 22 — Humans make history; but never in circumstances and situations of their own choosing. This insightful observation by Marx, as he watched over the social upheavals unfolding in Europe in the middle of the 19th century, is a timely expression on what is happening in Malaysia today.

Have Malaysians ever heard of a group of ordinary, fellow Malaysians — our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, our children — marching slowly but surely, on foot, all 300 kilometres of it, rain or shine, from Kuantan to Dataran Merdeka? All united in a common cause: to stop any further environmental degradation in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak, where stopping the Lynas rare earth refinery in Gebeng, and the Murum and Baram dams in Sarawak, constitutes a fundamental demand.

These Malaysian citizens chose to embark on this journey (dubbed “Langkah Lestari”) because for far too long we have collectively as a nation allowed indiscriminate “development” and rapacious capitalistic resource extraction to go on, all in the name of economic growth and wealth creation.

Just witness the rapid decimation of our natural forestry and the displacement of our fellow indigenous Malaysian communities in Sabah/Sarawak and the peninsula. These have become common phenomena and Malaysians know deep inside that the present state of affairs cannot go on indefinitely without irreversible consequences to our common habitat.

It was their spirit and determination that drew me and my friends to join them in their walk for environmental justice. Donning green shirts and a peasant farmer’s hat, we experienced first-hand what ordinary Malaysians can achieve when they organise themselves, a trend that typifies the sea change in people’s attitude and participation in citizenship activism since 2008.

Ordinary mothers arrange lodgings and food distribution, grandpas and grandmas providing moral support with their feet and encouraging words, fathers managing logistic details, while the young, even little children, learn to take their first baby steps in authentic environmentalism and love for the country.

In other words, “Langkah Lestari” epitomises what has been truly essential in any democratic movement for bringing real social change: the twin values of self-organisation and mutual aid. Against these values, no authoritarian state or oppressive regime can stand a chance. Ordinary citizens, learning to organise themselves, little by little, will win the hearts and minds of the majority of the populace.

Make no mistake. The detractors and spokespersons for corporate and vested interests, such as Lynas Corp, will try to justify the viability of their operations on the grounds of economic development and job creation. Malaysian citizens have to judge for themselves whether this “win-win” deal is really beneficial for the country, especially for the residents in Gebeng/Kuantan.

What are Malaysians getting in exchange for the 12-year tax holiday given to Lynas, estimated at RM1.8 billion per annum, not to mention the billions of ringgit of revenue Lynas will generate from these operations? In reality, this is a classic case of neoliberal capitalism in action: the privatisation of profits, whilst socialising the costs, both human and environmental.

In the Lynas case, it is even more farcical, where we have a case of a foreign mining corporation, which is reaping stratospheric profits as a result of the Western Australian mining boom, deciding to externalise its social costs to another country. Instead of acting as protector and guardian of her citizens’ security and well-being, the Malaysian government has abdicated that role for the sake of endless capital accumulation.

It is no wonder that people from all walks of life are seeing through the lies of neoliberal ideology and deciding to leave the sidelines and join this struggle. The patronising dogma of big business that preaches wealth trickling down to the masses is increasingly hollow and losing its ideological hold on the people.

Try telling the Orang Asal brothers and sisters from Sarawak, who are marching daily with their Semenanjung compatriots, on the merits of an unfettered, free market economy that promises prosperity for all. Our indigenous brothers and sisters will tell you about the true face of “economic development”, where countless thousands of them have experienced forced displacement, land grabbing and environmental destruction.

Politicians from both sides wax lyrical about the need for more development and allocation funds for Sabah and Sarawak. They fail to see that uneven development and destruction of traditional forms of living have led to increasing proletarianisation (making them wage-earners, instead of their traditional self-sufficient farming existence) of our indigenous peoples, precisely what a capitalist economy cannot fail but generate.

These are the hard truths made visible by this 300km walk. It forces us to confront the dark, hidden side of our exploitative economy and its unsustainable ecological trajectory.

This brings us back to the significance of this Sunday, November 25, in the history of this nation. The marchers have decided to occupy Dataran Merdeka once they reach there, awaiting the presence of the prime minister and Members of Parliament from both sides of the political divide the very next morning.

Again ordinary Malaysians like them face the arbitrary exercise of state power in the hands of City Hall and the police when the mayor of KL said that no gathering in Dataran is allowed without an application for permit. We know that the upsurge of participation of Malaysians in public protests since Bersih 3.0 is no historical accident. The momentum of people’s movements will only grow stronger and stronger by the day and “Himpunan Hijau 2.0: Langkah Lestari” in Dataran Merdeka this Sunday will be no different. Thousands upon thousands of Malaysians will be there, come what may.

As I sat in the room with our fellow marchers, listening to the children of Bentong sing a song dedicated to their struggle, I felt strangely emotional. It was as if their voices helped us peer into a future of a new Malaysia that is taking shape right before our eyes. Of its shape and detail, no one could tell with any certainty. But one thing is for sure. It will be a Malaysia very different from the present one, burdened by her heavy history of class and environmental exploitation, and ethnic-based political ideologies.

“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains,” the radical democrat Rosa Luxemburg once said. Thank you, participants of Langkah Lestari, for walking and making Malaysians conscious of the shackles that are enslaving us. Thank you, Saudara Wong Tack (the organising chairperson), for reminding all Malaysians that true emancipation lies in our very own hands: “Pilihan di tangan kita!”

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Wildebeest walk even further and every single year of their life, not just once, but only are fodder for Crocodiles of the Nile, the predators along the way. REAL Emancipation is not feeling proud about walking or cycling around mindlessly but fighting for :

The greenest society can form, but if minorities are not equals but dhimmis who subvert intent of the articles and words for freedom and equality, there will be no dignity of life for non-Muslims and in general non-politicians. Pakatan sure has alot of ‘fun’ activities to distract the Rakyat from equality eh? And the biggest cheerleader of this sort of accept Hudud (actually not thats accept ‘Hadi’ but we all know that can become Hudud since hadi has not addressed the concerns of Article 4’s response above) but don’t address Bumiputera b.s. is term limitless, nepotistic DAP . . .

John Hennigan, of Harlow, Essex, made gesture at London pub in February
It put him in breach of Asbo imposed after swastika was on his front door
46-year-old asked manager Paul MacAllion if he ‘only served blacks or Jews’
He told Old Bailey judge ‘no probs’ as he was led away to cells for 21 months

A racist thug who made a Nazi salute inside a packed pub and called black people c***s and n*****s was today jailed for almost two years and branded a ‘disgrace to the values of this country’. John Hennigan, 46, of Harlow, Essex, was caught on camera delivering the fascist gesture in front of shocked drinkers in February at The Magpie pub in Bishopsgate, central London. The antics put him in breach of an Asbo imposed in 2005 when a swastika was discovered daubed on the front door of his council house. It was the seventh time he had flouted the order. Racist: John Hennigan, 46, of Harlow, Essex, was caught on camera delivering the fascist gesture in front of shocked drinkers in February at The Magpie pub in Bishopsgate, central London

Hennigan claimed he had only been raising his arm to collect his change after paying for a drink, but was convicted by a majority verdict of 10-2 after a trial at the Old Bailey in central London. Sentencing Hennigan, Judge Nicholas Cooke QC told him the court was ‘not upholding some culture of political correctness’ but ‘preserving public order’ and dealing with unacceptable behavior. He added: ‘In this crowded public house in this city you gave a Nazi salute and spoke provocatively of Jews. The Holocaust was a crime against humanity of enormous magnitude.

Police launch race probe after Wales goalkeeper Brown is abused on Twitter
Glittering Sapphires: The incredible story of an Aboriginal band who overcame racism to become Australia’s Supremes

‘Behaving in the way you did was appalling. You spoke of black people as c***s and n*****s.

‘The use of such terms is grossly offensive and conjures up memories of the slave trade, again a crime against humanity of enormous magnitude. Behaving in such a way was likewise appalling.’

The judge said Hennigan’s antics were also an affront to those who fought against the ‘racist evil of Nazism’ in the Second World War and ‘insults the memories of those who sacrificed themselves’. London pub: Hennigan had been barred from The Magpie in central London two times before but was spotted on CCTV by manager Paul MacAllion. ‘He was making Nazi salutes at the bar,’ the manager said London pub: Hennigan had been barred from The Magpie in central London two times before but was spotted on CCTV by manager Paul MacAllion. ‘He was making Nazi salutes at the bar,’ the manager said He added: ‘You see yourself as some sort of loyal nationalist or crusader against Communism. You are in fact a disgrace to the values of this country.’

Hennigan, who attended court wearing a T-shirt with an image of left-wing Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara with a line through it, told the judge ‘no probs’ as he was led away to the cells. ‘You see yourself as some sort of loyal nationalist or crusader against Communism. You are in fact a disgrace to the values of this country’

Judge Nicholas Cooke QC

The racist has 43 previous convictions for offences including drug and firearm possession and common assault. He was last before the courts for breaching his Asbo in 2010. That was after he launched racist abuse at a newsagent before attacking him with a sweet display.

Hennigan had been barred from The Magpie two times before but was spotted on CCTV by manager Paul MacAllion. ‘He was making Nazi salutes at the bar,’ the manager said

‘I was trying to make sure it was the same guy I had barred, staring at the CCTV, and three times I saw him do it. I went immediately down to the bar and confronted him. Hearing: Hennigan, who attended the Old Bailey wearing a T-shirt with an image of left-wing Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara with a line through it, told the judge ‘no probs’ as he was led away ‘He’d bought a drink so I got the money from the bar staff, gave him his money back and told him to get out because I’d barred him previously and he was making Nazi salutes.

‘At that stage I think he said something like: “If I was a Jew or a c**n you wouldn’t be doing this”.’ As he was kicked out, Hennigan told Mr McAllion: ‘If my mum and dad came down would they be barred too? Or do you just serve blacks and Jews?’ ‘If my mum and dad came down would they be barred too? Or do you just serve blacks and Jews?’

What John Hennigan was said to have told pub manager Paul McAllion Hennigan faces a further charge of assaulting a police officer, which will be dealt with by City of London magistrates. He is said to have branded a constable a ‘f***ing pathetic little creature’ when confronted about his outburst in The Magpie. He also faces another trial for a further breach of the Asbo, which is due to take place at Chelmsford Crown Court later this year. Hennigan denied a single count of breaching an Asbo. He was convicted and jailed for 21 months.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

i) Hennigan had been barred from The Magpie two times before but was spotted on CCTV by manager Paul MacAllion. ‘He was making Nazi salutes at the bar,’ the manager said ‘I was trying to make sure it was the same guy I had barred, staring at the CCTV, and three times I saw him do it. I went immediately down to the bar and confronted him.

ii) Hennigan faces a further charge of assaulting a police officer, which will be dealt with by City of London magistrates. He is said to have branded a constable a ‘f***ing pathetic little creature’ when confronted about his outburst in The Magpie.

Aye that!

iii) Hennigan denied a single count of breaching an Asbo. He was convicted and jailed for 21 months.

Oh great, favour the prison-building-contractor-supplier complex some more. Englands finished at 40K per year per prisoner.

Thats the only chargeable offense. As for the cussing etc., enforcement should be already trained to ignore that sort of thing as per Freedom of Speech. Thats what sets the police apart from the regular citizens – discipline. Police who do not have the sklll to ignore such verbal abuse and sure as hell cannot handle the real criminals. Hennigan is a tough and in fact negatively patriotic civilian (better than treacherous bankers that sell off or destroy the country, or politicians that only want to enrich themselves and refuse to amend laws while hogging democratic space by exceeding term limits or even regfusing to ratify term limits) but no criminal action occurs unless property was destroyed or assault or any touching or manhandling at very least occured.

“Bertilak” may derive from bachlach, a Celtic word meaning “churl” (i.e. rogueish, unmannerly). Alternatively it may derive from “bresalak”, meaning “contentious”. He tests Moses three times by doing seemingly evil acts, which are eventually revealed to be noble deeds to prevent greater evils or reveal great goods. Without this sort of nuance of harsh teachers to put England on a learning curve of logic and readiness to resolve issues in society, England winds up with ‘f***ing pathetic little creatures’ without nuance and in this case ‘coarse subtlty’.

Had to imprison the guy 21 months instead on the taxpayer’s monies eh? England is finished. Let the ‘f***ing pathetic little creatures’ run the show abit longer, and the English will be wailing along with the worst of them x times a day. As for the assault, I’m sure the taxpayers and Hennigan would prefer (and be well able to handle) to allow the cop to hit back with an equal number of punches and kicks in ‘revenge’ and be done with the whole sorry drama. Tyrants’ natures are indeed most unworthy of respect, and the worst colonial powers in the world are not surprisingly the English. No one in the world weak enough, or primitive enough to bully so going after the citizens now eh? Pitiful and mealy minded English!

Try this organic response to what might be a like minded aspiring champion . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Knight
Villanaise the heroes and make heros of the villains, little wonder Scotland sees no reason to stick around and thats not just about the load of insulting innuendo etc. . . .

People make noise as they take part in a casserole march to protest against government’s austerity reforms and the public payment of bank’s debts on October 13, 2012 in Madrid. (AFP Photo / Pedro Armestre)

Demonstrators across the world are calling for an end to austerity as Global Noise protests kick off in more than 30 countries, including many in the Nobel Peace laureate European Union.

­The worldwide demonstrations on Saturday passed without incident, and Caleb Maupin from the International Action Centre explained what’s driving the public to take to the streets.

RT: A year ago Occupy Wall Street spread across the world, and now it’s Global Noise. What is Global Noise all about? How is it different?

Caleb Maupin: Basically, Global Noise is saying we are not going to be silent. Because right now the banks are coming for us – they are cutting all of the programs. There is mass unemployment. There is cutting in government spending and the governments of the world are just having to pay back the banks.

And in the process, our future is being destroyed. It is impossible to get an education in this country without a rising debt. What we are saying is that we are going to be a global noise. We are the next generation, the youth part of the working class as our future is being destroyed. We are not going to silently sit back and let them destroy our future. We are going to be loud. We are going to be confrontational and we are going demand that this stop.

Austerity is a crime against the people. These cuts are a crime against us, and we are going to demonstrate and we are going to oppose it.

RT: America has not seen austerity cuts as of yet. But in Europe this is precisely what the Global Noise rallies were aimed against. Is it merely a show of support for Europe, or is there, say, a message in the demonstrations for the US presidential candidates?

CM: There are plenty of austerity cuts in the United States. Food stamps, a program which many millions of people depend on so they can have food, is being cut. College prices are going up. They had kind of halted it because they are planning after the elections to have austerity. All the major cuts are going to happen after the election.

But even with these latest debates, you see Romney and Ryan, Obama and Biden, they are all debating how much to cut. How responsibly can you get rid of Social Security, how responsibly can we do it? It is austerity, it is global austerity. Because, you know, Lenin spoke of it in his book – imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism, because the banks kind of become the center of capitalism, its monopoly stage.

And right now it is a revolt against banks. Instead of people having to take all these cuts, why don’t they simply start the cuts to the banks? The government of the United States has the ability to do that. They can pass legislature saying that the banks have to be delayed, but instead they keep paying back the banks with these loans that have taken from the government, and programs that people need to survive on are being cut.

At a time of mass unemployment, millions of youth have great anger on what’s going on, and it is exploding into a global anti-capitalist rebellion. It is here in US. The phrase “we are the 99%” represents what millions of people understand, which is that a small elite, the bankers, capitalists, they own the world and the rest of us just get to live in it.

Well, it is time that we are heard. We are a global noise and we are going to rise up and demand a change to that situation.

RT: Presidential elections are coming up in the US and the Obama administration is criticized for the bailout, while Republicans are promising austerity. And what do you think the policy should be for the US here?

CM: I think whoever wins this election, it is very clear that after the election, it’s over. They are going to begin an extreme amount of mass austerity. And the terms of the debate are sickening – the terms of the debate are essentially how much to cut. Some people say, we should just cut everything; others say we should just cut a little bit. No! The people don’t have to pay for the crisis the bankers created.

But that message is not part of the discourse in this country right now. The discourse is limited to one form of cutting or one form of cutbacks, and that is frightening. And that is why the Occupy movement came in. We are the 99%, or as the labor movement and progressive forces have said for a long time – class against class.

It is not Republicans versus Democrats. It is about the bankers versus the people – the people who sell their labor to survive and those who own the world.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

For every step nearer to cuts of any sort, let there be very dead people in ever step, and a very obvious trail of footprints to those who cause such harm. So that retaliation will be unavoidable and so that those who cause such harm will be not dare harm any other. Some of us have the right, anyone else does not, differentiate and rain punishment upon those who presume to presume anything or any word. No more foreclosures and compound interest upon the jobless.

X Factor star Gary Barlow says claims the show is rigged have damaged its integrity.

The Take That singer stormed off set last Sunday after fellow judge Louis Walsh failed to save his singer Carolynne Poole ahead of ‘joke’ act Rylan Clarke. By withholding his vote, he forced a Deadlock.

The result, which saw Miss Poole sent home as the act with the fewest public votes, came after viewers saw Walsh in conversation with the programme’s executive producer.

Asked if he thought the integrity of the programme had been damaged, 41-year-old Barlow said: ‘I think in the short term, definitely because I just know what I’m being told as I go round and speak to the public.’

Some viewers felt last week’s show was a fix, because producers engineered the judging so they could lose the contestant they wanted.

‘A timeless goddess’: X Factor favourite Ella Henderson stuns again as she hits the high notes in Minnie Riperton’s classic
Gary Barlow offers Louis Walsh an olive branch after Rylangate… but it isn’t long before they’re clashing again

But Barlow said: ‘People’s votes do count. What people spend their money on was worth it. The two things I worry about are the contestants and the fans and I think it did us no favours last weekend.

‘The idea of it being a fix, I hate stuff like that. We’ve got really talented people up there and I don’t want to cheapen it. It was a bad end to the week. It was disappointing.’
Barlow said he had spoken to producers about ensuring there was never any suggestion programme-makers were influencing the judges’ votes

Barlow said he had spoken to producers about ensuring there was never any suggestion programme-makers were influencing the judges’ votes

Barlow also said he had spoken to producers about ensuring there was never any suggestion programme-makers were influencing the judges’ votes.

‘The whole thing about someone coming up on stage – that will never happen again,’ he said. ‘Even if it’s just to say which order we’ve got to vote in. There should be no one on that stage with us and I said that after last week’s show. ‘

Barlow added that he had been taken to task by his mother Marjorie for being disrespectful to Louis. ‘My mum always tells me to respect my elders, so I got a bit of a telling-off on Sunday.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

This is b.s.. All of the audience should vote on a 1 to 1 basis. A handful of judges voting alone destroys democracy. This is a 1% situation. Remake the damn voting system you producers! How about a button the every member of the audience can press, and randomly selected ‘debate’ judges to sit alongside and even argue with the ‘star’ judges? Much more inclusive means that much more fun and democratic.

ARTICLE 4

120,000 troubled families could be legally banned from spending benefits on alcohol and tobacco – by Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent

Troubled families living on benefits will be legally barred from spending welfare money on alcohol and tobacco, under plans being drawn up in Whitehall.
8:00AM BST 13 Oct 2012

Iain Duncan Smith has asked his officials to see if so-called ‘problem’ families should receive their welfare payments on smart cards, rather than in cash.

The cards would only be able to pay for “priority” items such as food, housing, clothing, education and health care.

The Work and Pensions secretary wants to stop parents who are alcoholics or who are on drugs from using welfare payments to fuel their addictions.

The team of civil servants in his department have been asked to come up with proposals by the end of this month.

However the Government cannot currently stipulate how people spend their benefits money and the law would need to be changed to do so for certain groups.

One idea is for the 120,000 problem families who were identified in the Government’s riots review to be given the Oyster-style cards.

A source close to Mr Duncan Smith said: “There are people who are using benefits to fund a habit and children are going hungry.

“It is something that he is serious about – if he can make it work and he can legislate then he is very keen to do it.”

The charge card model is based on a “basics card” scheme which started to be rolled out for thousands of people in Australia in August this year.

Instead of being given cash or cheques, claimants are now issued with electronic “credit” cards to purchase key “priority” items at approved stores across the country.

Money is electronically placed on the card once a fortnight, when people receive their benefit payments. No more than A$1,500 (£961) can be spent per day. If money is not spent, it can be built up as savings.

Mr Duncan Smith said he was against using a US-style food stamps system because they are often traded as a form of currency.

The Cabinet minister disclosed his plans at a meeting of Conservative activists at the party conference this week.

He said: “I am looking at the moment at ways in which we could ensure that money we give them to support their lives is not used to support a certain lifestyle.

“I am certainly looking at it – I am going through that in some detail… With the use of cards, we are looking at that to see if we can do something.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2011 riots in English cities, Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to turn around the lives of the 120,000 by 2015.

He said: “I have an ambition, before the end of this Parliament, we will turn around the lives of 120,000 most troubled families.

“We need more urgent action, too, on the families that some people call ‘problem’, others call ‘troubled’, the ones that everyone in their neighbourhood knows and often avoids.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Fair enough. People on the dole should not expect too much fun for doing nothing at least until the country is on even keel. Not that the country denies such luxuries but alcohol and tobacco are luxuries after all that a country is debt should be forgiven for not spending on. At the same time prices rises in alcohol should not be applied. If the poor work part time and alcohol takes all their earnings, how does that help the economy? Perhaps an assignment of amount that they can buy of either at most in exchange for free state insurance for example? All that biometrics and credit card control etc.. and nothing applied.

ARTICLE 5

‘It was really disgusting’: Susan Sarandon reveals she was exploited on the casting couch as a young actress – by Celeste Morgan – PUBLISHED: 01:05 GMT, 14 October 2012 | UPDATED: 07:09 GMT, 14 October 2012

She’s an Oscar winner and one of the biggest stars of her generation.

But there was a time when Susan Sarandon was just another unknown hoping to make it in showbusiness.

And the actress has revealed that as a young hopeful she was the victim of exploitation as she auditioned for a role.

She confided to Elle magazine about a ‘disgusting,’ casting-couch experience that happened in her younger years.

Younger days: Susan Sarandon during her early career at the age of 24 in 1970

‘It was not successful – for either of us,’ Sarandon explained, when asked if she had ever had a casting-couch experience.

‘I just went into a room, and a guy practically threw me on the desk.

‘It was my early days in New York, and it was really disgusting. It wasn’t like I gave it a second though, it was so badly done.’
Stunner:Another age defying moment for Susan at a Conde Naste event in September in New York

Stunner: Another age defying moment for Susan at a Conde Naste event in September in New York

She does not give any details of which audition she was assaulted at.

Sarandon had her first audition at 23 when she went to a casting call for the motion picture Joe, landing a major co-starring role in the film, which was released in 1970.

The actress went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking.

Toyboy: Susan and her 35-year-old boyfriend Jonathan Bricklin

In her interview, as reported on Radar online, she also defended her romance with her much-younger boyfriend, ping-pong entrepreneur Jonathan Bricklin.

‘People make him out to be much younger than he is – and me older,’ Sarandon explained to the fashion magazine, clarifying that he is 35, not 33 as has been widely reported.

As well as being lovers, the pair are business partners in ping-pong club SPiN.

The couple have been linked since 2010 after Susan split from longtime partner Tim Robbins, with whom she has two children.

Susan kept mum on her rumoured relationship with Jonathan until March of this year.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

For the right person and in the right mood, Susan wouldn’t have felt bothered at all and even laid into the whole sleazy Hollywood thing. Breast jiggles and gluteal gropes anyone?

When Empires Join Hands: Japanese Military Joins U.S. And NATO In Horn Of Africa

Moscow: Japan’s recent illegal moves to “purchase” China’s Diaoyu Islands show militarism is on the rise in that country, according to a Russian war veteran.

Vasili Ivanov, deputy head of the Russia-China Friendship Society’s Central Office, told Xinhua that Japan’s refusal to recognize China’s sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, which was stipulated in post-war documents, showed a “resurrection of the samurai.”

The 91-year-old, who fought Japanese troops in northeast China during World War II, said some Japanese, especially right-wingers, did not recognize the country’s unconditional and voluntary surrender in the war.

“Japan’s refusal to recognize the war results means they will demand the return of all they had before the war – lands, islands they illegally occupied and lost,” Ivanov said.

“All their escapades, including the recent one against China, are meant to confirm their right to these lands,” he said.

“We, along with other participants in the war against Japan, are categorically against the return of Japanese militarism,” the veteran said.

Ivanov said the Diaoyu Islands had never belonged to Japan and China was recognized as the rightful owner by binding post-war legal documents, such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation.

The two documents stipulated Japan should return all the territories taken from China, including Taiwan and its surrounding islands, he said.

However, under agreements with the United States, Japan illegally occupied the Diaoyu Islands and now even tried to claim them.

Japan might go further with its territorial ambitions, keeping its relations with China, Russia, South Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on edge, the veteran warned.

He urged closer cooperation among those countries in opposing Tokyo’s rising militaristic ambitions.

“Leaders (of those countries) ought to give a due rebuff to Japanese ultra-right forces. They should tell the ultra-right wingers this is it – all is settled and recognized by the whole world. No changes can be made now,” Ivanov said.

The Japanese right wingers should know their farces would come to naught, the veteran said.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

The Japs are still cool and ahead of time (barely – though without substance – i.e. all the giant and slick mecha cartoons and culture starting in the 80s, but when Fukushima struck 30 years later, all they had was a soviet era clamp type robotic arm on a threadbare/rickety motorized servette that broke down . . . mount some guns on this sort of robot, mass produce and conquer the worst of the Middle East and any nepotist run ASEAN nations . . . ), but the Japanese attitudes and history are rubbish no thanks to the right wingers. Tacit approval via silence becomes an issue with the Chrysanthemum King . . . United Korea, Mongolia and China reclaim what was stolen (Monarchy / 12 century fleet’s lives / Centre of Far East and Imperium)

The two-time monarch loved fast cars and women, survived the Khmer Rouge and trod the world stage.

Former King of Cambodia dies – Norodom Sihanouk, the former King of Cambodia with a record number of political titles, has died in Beijing at 89.

THE body of Norodom Sihanouk, the cherubic, mercurial but ruthless two-time king of Cambodia and a towering figure in Asia’s politics will be brought home from China for a grand cremation in the Cambodian and Buddhist tradition.

He died, aged 89, early on Monday in Beijing after a long illness. Across Cambodia, flags flew at half mast and monks chanted for the feudal-style monarch who was beloved by his people but was seldom able to deliver the peace they craved through decades of violence.

Sihanouk’s son and successor, Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen flew to Beijing to retrieve the body of the sax-playing, champagne-serving monarch.

Cambodia’s then King Norodom Sihanouk,79, greets his subjects upon his arrival at the annual crop-planting ceremony outside the royal palace in Phnom Penh. Photo: Reuters

Many Cambodians regarded him as semi-divine, although some of the younger generation saw him as a figure of the past and partly responsible for the country’s tragedies.
Advertisement

Prince Sisowath Thomico, a royal family member who was his assistant, said the former king had suffered a heart attack at a hospital.

”It’s painful. I am full of sorrow … King Sihanouk did not belong to his family, he belonged to Cambodia and to its history,” the prince said.

Suffering illnesses including colon cancer, diabetes and hypertension, Sihanouk asked in January that his ashes be placed in a stupa at the river-front Royal Palace, in an urn, preferably made of gold.

A massive crowd of mourners are expected for the funeral.

Born on October 31, 1922, Sihanouk was crowned king by the French occupiers in 1941.
Wearing the traditionnal “krama”, Prince Norodom Sihanouk (right), poses with Khieu Samphan, top Khmer Rouge leader, in the Cambodia maquis.

They assumed the giggling, overweight prince would be compliant to their requests.

But he became a ruthless politician who played superpowers off against each other while maintaining a role at home and in world politics.

He kept Cambodia neutral during the Cold War, nurtured relations with communist China, was a founder of the Non-Aligned Movement, broke off diplomatic relations with the US over the Vietnam War and was sent into lonely exile in Beijing after a US-backed coup in 1970.

Cambodia’s then King Norodom Sihanouk (left) and Queen Monineth wave to the crowd upon their arrival at the annual boat racing festival in Phnom Penh in 2001. Photo: Reuters

Sihanouk has been criticised for his support of the Khmer Rouge in the early 1970s.

But his relations with the organisation responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million Cambodians was always strained.

”The Khmer Rouge do not like me at all, and I know that,” he said in a 1973 interview.

”When they no longer need me, they will spit me out like a cherry.”

When he returned to Phnom Penh, the Khmer Rouge ordered his execution, but he was saved by Chinese leader Zhou Enlai.

In a 2005 memoir, he said he ”dared to struggle in alliance” with the Khmer Rouge, but condemned their ”despotic and bloody regime”.

Sihanouk was famous for singing love songs at elaborate dinners.

He made movies, brought his French poodle to negotiations, married at least five times and fathered 14 children.

He liked fast cars, food and women. He dazzled world leaders with his wit, often entertaining diplomats and foreign officials with champagne breakfasts and French meals.

Weary of politics, he stepped down from the throne for the last time in 2004.

Bravery then alliance with the enemy? Convoluted.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Cradle of life anyone? Sihanouk had some bad patches as well, to support Khmer Rouge when one could remain neutral is uncalled for. Then again perhaps Sihanouk has no such luxury ASEAN being a very dangerous place post WW2.

ARTICLE 8

Sinclair News Contribution Challenge In Support of im2moro.org – October 12, 2012 – by Lawrence Sinclair

In an effort to support the young people behind Voices Without a Vote Sinclair News is offering the first business or individual who contributes $1000.00 to im2moro.org (im2moro is a non-profit 501c3, tax-exempt organization, which means your donations are tax deductible. Our tax ID is 27-2901233) in response to this challenge, a one year static header banner ad on Sinclair News. This banner ad will be placed in our header above the Sinclair News logo and will display on every page every time this site is visited. From Oct 5, 2012 thru Oct 11, 2012 Sinclair news has been displayed to 1,076,934 visitors (stats from CloudFare analytical).

The business or individual who wishes to meet this Challenge may contact Audrea Taylor to make the contribution. Please inform Miss. Taylor the contribution is in response to the Sinclair News, Through the Mirror w/Larry Sinclair Ad Challenge so Miss. Taylor can notify us who has earned the one year banner ad spot.

Im2moro: Telling Us Today What Tomorrow Should Bring

We all have to Speak Out, and Stand Up as Taylor and her peers proudly proclaim on im2moro.org’s web site. Last night Through the Mirror w/Larry Sinclair spoke with im2moro co-founders Audrea Taylor; Blake Andersen and Luke Andersen (you can listen to the interview from here

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Its not always true that adults know whats best for the children, and the time has long since come and passed where adults need to be slapped across the back of the head by the very children we say we are protecting. Anyone who has ever watched the CBS program NCIS, you know that Agent Gibbs is always slapping Agent Dinozzo on the back of the head to get his attention, well we see the kids behind im2moro as Agent Gibbs and the adults as Dinozzo.

Clearly if we are to be seen as being genuinely concerned with the tomorrow for our kids and grand kids, then we must listen to them and bring them into the conversation and the decision making process. What we find truly amazing about this group of young people is that:

1. They are not promoting a particular party or candidate, but instead are simply demonstrating how based on Constitutional Principles we can come together for the betterment and interest of ALL Americans and the 2moro’s for our children.

2. Rather than try and beat someone over the head based on party or politician, these young people are building upon what we all have in common and agree on.

This is an organization which was founded and has grown through teenagers who when it started were just 12, 13, 15 years old. There is an old proverb “out of the mouths of babes,” which could not be anymore appropriate in describing these young men and women (who despite their ages are just that, young men & women).

Not only is Sinclair News offering one year of header banner static ad space to one person or business who contributes $1000.00 to im2moro.org, we challenge other organizations who sell advertising on their sites to do the same.

Any readers who would like to support this organization can do so by clicking on the below im2moro image which will take you to the groups donation page.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

People, start by offering yourself as a candidate if your hegelian dialectic Rep./Dem. offers dead wood or term limitless. First law should be to distribute unused state land for growing of food (that will stop the food stamp issue and keep the jobless busy) to the homeless and the poor AS WELL as stop foreclosures of homes and further compound interest on homes.

Require the next or more generation to pay the remnant at flat rate BUT NO INTEREST and NO FORECLOSURES. Those without jobs should not be made homeless as well. Those second or third or more homes not in use can still be foreclosed but those who are jobless should be left off foreclosure until they find jobs, at which point only 20% of the salary could be applied – people owing banks got to eat too.

If the above is ratified into law by ALL Congressmen, and all Governors, USA would be abut more sustainable, though banks might have to wait longer to get their money back.

Slower economic growth took its toll on many of China’s 100 biggest fortunes, according to the 2012 Forbes China Rich List, with 45 of them slipping from last year’s count and their total assets dropping 7 percent to $220 billion.

Wahaha boss tops China rich list

Zong Qinghou, the founder and chairman of the beverage producer Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd, who topped the list in 2010, regained his title as the richest businessmen in China, with a net worth of nearly $10 billion, according to the list.

With an 80 percent share in Wahaha, Forbes said Zong’s fortune exceeded 60 billion yuan ($9.57 billion), over 2 billion yuan more than last year.

Wang Jianlin, chairman and president of Dalian Wanda Group Co Ltd, was the fastest riser in the past year, seeing his wealth jump from 25.6 billion yuan to 50.4 billion yuan, making up the top three with Zong and Robin Li from China’s search engine company Baidu.

The Forbes list comes a fortnight after Zong, 67, topped the Hurun Rich List 2012, which estimated his fortune at $12.6 billion, the second time he has topped the list produced by the Shanghai-based Hurun Research Institute.

Russell Flannery, a senior editor at Forbes and chief of its Shanghai Bureau, said: “Wang outperformed with his greatest success entering the entertainment industry with the announcement of a $2.6 billion acquisition of US cinema chain AMC Entertainment.”

The Forbes list was compiled using shareholding and financial information obtained from the families and individuals, stock exchanges, analysts and China’s regulatory agencies.

Public fortunes were calculated based on stock prices and exchange rates as of Sept 21. Private companies were valued based on similar companies that are publicly traded.

Compared to Zong and Wang, others in the demanding consumer sector did not fare as well, however.

Zhang Jindong, the chairman of Suning Appliance Co Ltd, saw a drop in his value of $2.4 billion, even as he opened up a commanding market lead over longtime rival Gome Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd, owned by Huang Guangyu who suffered a $2 billion drop in value and who still sits in jail for financial crimes.

Qiu Guanghe of the fashion chain Zhejiang Semir Group shed $2.8 billion and fell to 37th.

“Most of the businesses related to the consumer and retail sectors are suffering in these tough times by making less profits and experiencing some financial problems,” said Flannery. He added that the total number of billionaires in China fell from 146 last year to 113 this year, caused by the economic slowdown.

Several property tycoons also suffered, with last year’s list leader Liang Wengen seeing his worth drop $3.4 billion as demand slowed for the building materials produced by Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd, which he chairs.

The real estate sector as a whole also saw several casualties within the list, as property deals cooled and developers saw projects shelved and prices slow.

“All those ups and downs of rich people in China in different industries lead to the conclusion that the slowdown of China’s economy has brought uncertainty to local private enterprises,” said Zhou Jiangong, chief editor of Forbes Chinese edition.

yuran@chinadaily.com.cn

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Wahaha? Stop laughing over there and wake up or embolden the cowards in certain governments. Being great alone safe in China, is no good if your country still has poor or other Chinese elsewhere are getting the short end of the political stick. Being great alone is not great if in other countries your fellow countrymen are oppressed or enslaved or treated below others. Do set up and fund political parties to challenge inequality for all Chinese across the world! The Chinese expect equality at very least and if China’s colonies fall from neglect of Chinese rights, China will not be able to project power and that same rot will actually reach China from sheer neglect. The courage or funds lacking in some places needs to come from China.

Fred Dixon, 18, and David Aston-Brown, 20, have been jailed for three years
Pair pounced on Roger Brookes, 37, before punching him to the floor
Dixon had previous convictions for battery and common and sexual assault
Thug Aston-Brown had previous convictions for racially aggravated public disorder, battery against an ex-girlfriend and handling stolen goods

Two thugs battered a factory worker in the street and robbed him of 80p while dressed as a tiger and a red devil.

Fancy dress duo Fred Dixon, 18, and David Aston-Brown, 20, pounced on Roger Brookes, 37, in the early hours of August 20.

The pair shouted at Mr Brookes as he made his way to work at a plant in Hereford before snatching his rucksack, a court has heard.

Fred Dixon, 18, and David Aston-Brown, 20, dressed up as a tiger and a red devil and battered an innocent man
Fred Dixon battered a man in the street and robbed him of just 80p

David Aston-Brown battered a man in the street and robbed him of just 80p

Dixon, left and Aston-Brown, right, ‘got drunk’ and dressed up in fancy dress to go and ‘mess around’

Security cameras captured the thugs punching him to the floor, causing him to cut his head.

Dixon then put Mr Brookes in a head-lock so Aston-Brown could kick him in the chest, Worcester Crown Court heard.

After emptying their victim’s bag on the floor the thugs made off with just 80p, a key ring and a work clocking-in card.

The pair were jailed for three years each on Monday.

Sentencing the pair from Whitecross, Hereford, Judge John Cavell said: ‘This was determined street violence on a complete stranger.

‘You stole property that was almost trifling in its value, but caused serious harm to your victim.’

When police released CCTV images of the thugs in August, it was originally thought they were dressed as cats.

But before they were sentenced it was revealed Dixon wore a tiger-print all-in-one suit, while Aston-Brown was dressed as a red devil.
The men, pictured in a corridor in their fancy dress costumes, have past convictions for battery

The men, pictured in a corridor in their fancy dress costumes, have past convictions for battery

CCTV footage captures the two thugs in their costumes in the early hours of August 20

Defending Dixon, Michael Aspinall said the men had got drunk, dressed up and gone out to ‘mess around’.

He added: ‘These were two heavily intoxicated young men had gone out, in Fred Dixon’s case in breach of a curfew, but not to commit offences.’

The court heard Dixon had previous convictions for battery, common assault, sexual assault, criminal damage and an attempted robbery.

While Aston-Brown had previous convictions for racially aggravated public disorder, battery against an ex-girlfriend and handling stolen goods.

Dixon had only been released from a youth detention centre less than two weeks before the incident.

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Tim Powell from Hereford Police said: ‘The case was solved thanks to the media reports and members of the public coming forward to give information that led us to CCTV footage which positively identified the suspects, leaving them with no option but to plead guilty.’

Both men had pleaded guilty to robbery at an earlier hearing.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

How about asking if the victim would like to kick the attackers back approximately equally hard back, and save the taxpayers 3 years of jail costs after dismissing the case?

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has pledged to repeal Obamacare, says that people without health insurance don’t have to worry about dying as a result.

“We don’t have people that become ill, who die in their apartment because they don’t have insurance,” Romney said in an interview with the Columbus Dispatch’s editorial board on Wednesday.

While it’s difficult to tell how many people die each year from lack of health insurance, one study, from a health care advocacy group, puts the number at 26,000 deaths per year.

“We don’t have a setting across this country where if you don’t have insurance, we just say to you, ‘Tough luck, you’re going to die when you have your heart attack,'” he added in the interview. “No, you go to the hospital, you get treated, you get care, and it’s paid for, either by charity, the government or by the hospital.”

Romney took a similar stance in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” in late September, when he said: “We do provide care for people who don’t have insurance. If someone has a heart attack, they don’t sit in their apartment and die. We pick them up in an ambulance, and take them to the hospital, and give them care.”

Roughly 4 in 25 Americans, or nearly 49 million Americans, had no health insurance last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Repealing Obamacare would deny access to health insurance to about 30 million uninsured Americans who would have received it under health care reform.

Letting so many people go uninsured ultimately can cost both individuals and society. When people lack health insurance, their health worsens, and their health treatments become more expensive, research has found. People without health insurance also are in danger of facing massive medical bills, debt, and bankruptcy if they get sick or injured.

On top of that, society at large sometimes must pay for the uninsured through higher taxes and health care costs. The government often helps pay for unpaid emergency room bills. States and cities that run hospitals lose money when hospital bills go unpaid. And economists have found that hospitals sometimes charge higher prices for health care, and health insurance companies sometimes charge higher premiums, because the uninsured often are unable to pay for health care.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Indirect assurance that neurotech will not be used to enrich insurance businesses or enable healthcare profiteering? If Romney is aware, Romney had better get the FBO or CIA take away access from the 3rd world Junta this sort of technology. USA’s democracy will be safer than if the Hudud accepting freaks get their hands on this and end up playing the USA into terrorist hands while real world citizens who would stop such undemocratic monsters are destroyed.

ARTICLE 12

‘We seem very conservative, but we have the BIGGEST desires’ – China sex festival – Tuesday, 09 October 2012 06:44

“One-two-THREE! CONTROL! … and relax,” Ma Jian urges. The 78-year-old author is addressing a few dozen men clustered around a stage in Guangzhou, but he aspires to a much bigger audience. “China has more than 2,000 years of sexual history and culture and skills. It has sexual experience which western countries have never known. I want to introduce its expertise to people here and people overseas and make all men happy,” he said.

“I want all women to benefit. I take guys who shoot in three minutes and teach them to hang on for 30. That’s long enough.”

Until 10 years ago this evangelist was, he said, “an underground worker”, toiling in strictest secrecy. He grew up in the sexually repressive society created by Mao Zedong. The chairman of the People’s Republic may have shared his own bed with numerous women, but under his rule bodies were disguised in shapeless suits and holding hands in public was shocking.

Even in the 80s, after liberalisation had begun, a man was executed for organising orgies. Now Ma rattles off his advice – swimming increases sexual desire; pee in short bursts, not a stream – at a convention co-hosted by family planning authorities.

More than 30,000 visitors thronged last weekend to the 10th national (Guangzhou) sex culture festival to watch pole dancers, buy 007-brand condoms and browse porn in a resolutely unerotic exhibition centre. Couples take happy snaps with giant virility figures, and unabashed shoppers fondle realistic sex dolls (though not, this year, inflatable Obamas). The wealthiest can even choose a 100,000 yuan (£10,000) solid gold “pleasure object” – the kind of high-class product that appeals to shoppers usually found in Louis Vuitton or Dolce & Gabbana, a sales assistant said.

Chinese sex fair catwalk

But the shots of “artistic nudes” are tame by western standards. And though hordes of men photograph furiously as semi-clad models strut to a disco version of the Old Spice theme, there’s no pouting or lip-licking. These days, sexual experimentation and puritanism sit side by side in China.

Qiu Shuang, a lesbian activist and sex toy saleswoman, argued that repression had only kindled passions. “Maybe we seem very conservative, but we have the biggest desires,” she said.

China has an estimated six million sex workers, yet nudity is unacceptable in the cinema and there are periodic anti-porn crackdowns. Women have hymen restoration surgery so their husbands will believe they are virgins. Two years ago, an academic was jailed for hosting sex parties. It is no coincidence that the official denunciation of the disgraced politician Bo Xilai accused him of improper sexual relationships with several women.

“People still frown on serial dating … [but] there are 200,000 sex shops and these huge sexual expos. Are they prudish about sex or are they incredibly liberated?” asked Richard Burger, whose new book, Behind the Red Door, chronicles the history of sex in China.

He argues that for centuries China’s leaders have swung between sexual openness and repression. In the Tang dynasty, prostitutes were registered; the late Ming saw explicit novels such as The Plum in the Golden Vase.

At times, homosexual love has been celebrated. At other times, erotic books have been burned.

In the west, the sexual revolution was part of a wider movement of personal liberation and challenges to authority. But in China, the post-Mao shift from procreation to recreation was driven not by the Beatles and Lady Chatterley but by the Communist party.

Sex dolls in Guangzhou

After the Cultural Revolution, the government’s control [of people’s lives] started loosening, and at the same time the one-child policy meant people could have sex lives that weren’t for the purpose of giving birth. They could have sex for pleasure,” said Pan Suiming of Renmin University, one of the country’s leading experts on sex.

Li Yinhe, another researcher, said: “In the past, women were not allowed to like sex – sex was only for giving birth to children, or serving men. Now they can enjoy sex.”

When the magazine Popular Cinema dared to print a romantic clinch in 1979, it sparked a national controversy. The publication of the kiss – a still from a Cinderella movie starring Richard Chamberlain – was “decadent, capitalist, an act meant to poison our youths”, complained an irate local propaganda official. But thousands more picked up their pens to support the magazine.

But puckering up lost its subversive edge – even if the average age for a first kiss remained at 23 just a few years ago. These days premarital sex is very common and has spread to rural areas too.

Yet even now, most assume that sexual relationships end in marriage. Half the men Pan surveyed in 2007 reported only one sexual partner – and even younger and more experienced men have double standards, as a group of female students at the festival testify.

“There’s a long way to go. People do think a woman is a slut [if she has had multiple partners],” said Emily Mai.

“We have a right to chose premarital sex,” added her friend Yee Bai. “It’s freedom. We can’t stand to have only ‘pure, spiritual’ love.”

Sun Zhongxin of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh says the sexual revolution has benefited different sexes and sexualities to different degrees, and that both men and women may face new pressures, feeling inadequate when faced with a single and sometimes more westernised standard of sexiness.

Tens of millions of men will not find wives or long-term partners at all, because of China’s “missing” women: illegal sex-selective abortions have caused the gender ratio at birth to rise from the natural rate of 106 boys per 100 girls to 118 boys.

Many more men are migrant workers who may see their spouses once a year at best. “They can use sexual toys to let their desire out. It’s better than going to have sex with prostitutes,” said the event’s deputy director, Zhu Jianming.

But as Sun pointed out, the sex industry is not just the fruit of changing attitudes; it has been aggressive in pushing “liberalisation”.

The results can be alarming. One stall in Guangzhou is advertising a sex doll designed to look like a very young girl.

But he adds that he too worries that some people “have been influenced by western ideas about sex, are out of control and indulge themselves sexually”. He insisted the show was designed to encourage sexual morality and positive relationships, not just sexual knowledge.

Though the festival clearly caters primarily to straight men, there are several older couples browsing arm in arm. A husband and wife stop to listen attentively as a salesman demonstrates the different groans emitted by a selection of fake vaginas.

“In the past, when two people dated, they even had to keep their distance on the street,” said 25-year-old Li Bo, sheepishly clasping the sex toy he had just won in a prize draw. “Of course we wouldn’t want to go back to the old times.”

-guardian.co.uk

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Try this tourist ‘must do’ or must take photos of for the adventurous.

In suitable fengshui spots (probably where nturally phallic or clitorial looking stone formations form), install a series of silver, gold and finally, precious stone clad dildos and ‘fleshlights’ on a series of bollards EXHIBITING ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS of the local regional culture. These will be in private but open areas for tourist use and photo taking.

Each couple or person gets to use the private or secluded space for 10 minutes, and reseervations or bookings must be made in advance (24 hours means only 164 people a day may use a single area . . . so there should be more than 1 area per scenic spot to service probably millions . . . ). To be fair, these spots should charge no more than minimum wage multiplied by the material used . . . silver x1, gold x2, and finally, precious stone x3, x4 for diamond (4 times minimum wage for diamond, though the entire series might be wanted and hence the money is made back (not so soon, a few hundred diamonds on a dildo will cost MILLIONS but since ths state has FIAT for sure that will be worth it . . . ) . . . now THATS making the most of sexuality in tourism in a most contemporary and complementary manner! Retired sex workers could be the administrators and watchmen here, and perhaps sexual themed souvenirs or ORGANIC tonic specicaltiesmade by the locals, or sex manuals, could be sold as well.

Scheduling for weekday mornings could be reserved for non-sexual use and child friendly time (children will not be harmed seeing or posing with bejewelled sex toys . . . in crowds to boot. These will eventually be fertility preserving attractions in a spiritual sense, and would be quite a draw as a form of ’emnatory’ spirito-medical tourism as well. An informal temple to fertility in fact, especially when manned or staffed by ex-sex workers WITH state pensions.

“There’s a long way to go. People do think a woman is a slut [if she has had multiple partners],” said Emily Mai. “We have a right to chose premarital sex,” added her friend Yee Bai. “It’s freedom. We can’t stand to have only ‘pure, spiritual’ love.”

Not a slut for the status unaware or status uncaring, or the downwardly mobile in need of cash. Those involved in religious work would have herbal concoctions to steady their desires meanwhile and not indulge at all even at a distance (this differentiates the false spiritulist and the sex obsessed ones posing as spiritual – indulging in spiritual sex is NOT spiritual) . . .

The lower classes and middle classes probably will not be affected and will indeed look for prostitutes (lower classes) or escorts (middle classes). The upper classes who are expected to be discreet to save face for race and society would be blackballed for certain if they do not engage themselves to formal mistresses, or use escorts that are too popular/undiscerning (i.e. do not stick to a certain group of clients at limited numbers to keep things classy – i.e. escorts that do not sleep with just anyone – who incidentally should not be raised above/be allowed to climb over the heads of the honest working class professionals etc..) or with tongues that are too loose.

Which is also the reason for so much obsession with erotica by these quasi-apex/literati classes without wealth – pure ‘spiritual love’ from authors to the readers will be the cleanest form of titillation possible to indulge in, even multiple ‘spiritual’ partners notwithstanding apex classes, or a harem of wives to indulge themselves by.

ARTICLE 13

Y.U. Mad … ‘Cause I Bought a Palace – Music Mogul Birdman spent $14.5 mil in cash money for a Miami mansion the size of a Four Seasons.

FUN HOUSE HISTORY: The mansion belonged to music producer Scott Storch until it was taken away from him in foreclosure 2 years ago. It was snatched up by the inventor of Rockstar energy drinks for $6.75 mil … and then flipped to Birdman for a huge profit.

Oh the rich. We hate them.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Thats so characteristically white bread of so many African American stars who succeeded.

You’d think they’d decorate in a manner congruous with African cultures or that at least gives a strongly black-american accent (not exactly ghetto or hoodie yet carefully ‘uncolonial’ and ‘unsafari’ as well).

This is too European. Look at the ‘Black House’ jokes for a skewed sense of ‘African-American’ style. I’m not African but some African homes FEEL African, excepting the railings, this is just ‘white and European (not even American) bling’.

ARTICLE 13

Exclusive Coffee Has Unsavory Source – Elephant Dung in Thailand

Anantara Resorts, one of the world’s most expensive resort chains, has debuted some of the world’s costliest coffee at its Maldives properties. Just one thing though: The coffee beans are harvested from elephant dung.

The coffee is also offered at Anantara’s Golden Triangle property in Thailand.

The coffee beans, called Black Ivory and priced at $1,100 per kilogram, are digested by an elephant before you drink it.

There are only 50 kilograms, or about 110 pounds, currently for sale.

According to the resort, Black Ivory coffee beans are “naturally refined” by Thai elephants. Research indicates that during digestion, the enzymes of the elephant break down coffee protein, according to the resort. Protein is one of the factors responsible for bitterness in coffee: less protein, less bitterness.

The coffee is ground by hand and brewed table side in a four-minute process. The fragrance is said to be floral and chocolate and the taste “milk chocolate, nutty, earthy with hints of spice and red berries.”

Thai Arabica beans are picked from an altitude of 1500 meters (about 5000 feet) and fed to the elephants. “Once deposited by the elephants, the individual beans are handpicked by mahouts (elephant trainer and care giver) and their wives and sun dried.”

Refinement of the coffee takes place at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, an elephant conservation program. According to the resort, 8 percent of sales will fund an elephant veterinarian specialist to provide free care to the animals. Additional funds will be used to provide medicine and a new laboratory.

Black Ivory isn’t the first coffee in the world to come out of animal dung. Civet coffee, priced at several hundred dollars per pound, is harvested from the civet cats’ of Southeast Asia’s excrement.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

This is not to be used evidence of ‘insanity’ . . . the below are ideas for extreme experimental foodies, or a horror/vampire book that begins thus . . .

‘Nothing is better than fresh blood of pre-pubescent children . . . ‘ (looks like the vampire kids have been chewing on themselves again or was that the tailor . . . what say you Bellisa? Or is that Isabelle?

Perhaps that would beat J.K. Rowling in the creativity and shock factor department. The book will be called . . . “50 Shades of Red” ! Yea or Nay? Should this be written? Parasite Rowling is such a vacant casualty of ideas . . . Meanwhile we ponder another text . . .

Heres an idea for for products for the ‘Scat’ bunch (Hmm . . . Scatman?!? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scatman%27s_World) Heres some ideas, more rare and MONSTROUS flavours for the extreme foodie . . . Gargarensis would approve and no need to wear a meat dress either!

Foodies in religion eh? Dull eat-beasts more like, even if Vegetarian . . . Now this particular posting will probably this blog’s most monstrous! Counter articles/responses welcome! Commentary fight time, even at such severe handicap!

Councils warned Cameron’s plan would encourage unsightly development
Last year councils rejected outright 22,000 of 200,000 applications received
LGA fears that without such scrutiny these failed plans would now go ahead

Town hall chiefs last night vowed to kill off David Cameron’s plan to allow large extensions in back gardens.

They warned his free-for-all would encourage unsightly development and spark tension between neighbours.

In a huge blow to the Coalition’s flagship housing policy, the Local Government Association said councils would not implement the plans.
Blow: Town hall chiefs vowed to kill off David Cameron’s plan to allow large extensions in back gardens

Blow: Town hall chiefs vowed to kill off David Cameron’s plan to allow large extensions in back gardens

Homeowners can currently build a 10ft extension at a terraced property – and 13ft at a detached house – without planning consent.

Mr Cameron wants these limits doubled to 20ft and 26ft for a three-year period.

The move is needed to boost the economy, the Prime Minister says. But without the co-operation of town hall chiefs the policy is unlikely to be implemented.

Last year councils rejected outright only 22,000 of the 200,000 applications they received.

And the LGA, which represents more than 370 councils, fears that without such scrutiny these failed plans would now go ahead.

Recession has turned us into a nation of Rigsbys: Number of homeowners who rent a room to a lodger doubles in a year
Spectacular castle that inspired The Great Gatsby and played host to Jonas and Weiner weddings facing foreclosure

‘This policy potentially gives the green light to unsightly and out-of-place development without delivering a big enough boost to the construction industry to justify the potential damage,’ said the association’s Mike Jones.

‘The planning process works to ensure development is suitable for a local area and doesn’t unduly impact neighbours. Loosening rules around extensions would eliminate this vital mediation process in a large number of cases. The 22,000 applications which are rejected each year are knocked back for good reasons and it would be totally wrong if extensions which were previously rejected due to objections from neighbours or because they were judged to blight the neighbourhood could now sneak back in unimpeded.’

Tory-run councils in Lincolnshire and in Richmond, South-West London, have already said they will not cooperate with the new policy. Lincolnshire said a ‘rash of extensions’ could increase the risk of flooding in the low-lying county.
Additions: Homeowners can currently build a 10ft extension at a terraced property – and 13ft at a detached house – without planning consent

At their party conference, the Liberal Democrat rank and file also voted against the proposals.

And a YouGov poll commissioned by the Royal Institute of British Architects revealed 54 per cent believe the shake-up would lower the quality of neighbourhood design.

‘This policy potentially gives the green light to unsightly and out-of-place development without delivering a big enough boost to the construction industry to justify the potential damage’

Mike Jones,
Local Government Association

The LGA’s intervention sets the stage for a clash between town hall chiefs and Eric Pickles. The Communities Secretary has warned that homeowners could sue councils that refuse to follow the new guidance on extensions. Ministers have said however that it will be up to each council as to whether to cooperate.

The LGA’s warning is also a challenge to Mr Cameron, who repeated calls for growth-friendly planning changes in his speech to the Conservative conference in Birmingham this week.

Mr Jones countered: ‘We agree with the Government that stimulating the construction industry is essential to economic recovery but this proposal is not the answer. We need to tackle the housing crisis and that means freeing up lending so first-time buyers can secure mortgages and developers can borrow to build.
Extensions: A YouGov poll commissioned by the Royal Institute of British Architects revealed 54 per cent believe the shake-up would lower the quality of neighbourhood design

Extensions: A YouGov poll commissioned by the Royal Institute of British Architects revealed 54 per cent believe the shake-up would lower the quality of neighbourhood design

‘The Government should also lift tight restrictions on local authority borrowing so councils and housing associations can raise money to invest in new homes.’

Planning minister Nick Boles, who is a Lincolnshire MP, hit back, saying: ‘The planning system needs to strike a balance between the rights of the homeowner and their neighbours.

‘The planning system needs to strike a balance between the rights of the homeowner and their neighbours’

Nick Boles, Planning minister

‘Our proposals will make it easier for thousands of hard-working families to undertake home improvements to cater for a growing family. It will also help generate new business for local construction companies and small traders.’

When the plans emerged, Ruth Dombey, the Lib Dem leader of Sutton council in South London, said: ‘These proposals are a recipe for disaster. They have not been properly thought through.

‘If this is allowed to happen it will set neighbour against neighbour and split communities for years. On top of the resentment and loss of quality of life, some people’s houses will also plummet in value if they’ve got no light or a noisy factory is within a few metres of their front door.’

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

10-13 feet? I’d say all the way to the edge of the lot (which is why there are high walls sometimes) and then overhangs out into at least the middle of the road especially for roads where heavy vehicles or tall vehicles are not allowed! Factories? How did this article steer from freedom to build on one’s property to **factories** (no outlandish smells, no outlandish noises and probably people won’t care, why should the council Jobsworths who don’t even live there care)?

. . . and developers can borrow to build. . . .

NO. England is overpopulated as is, and no more increases in population should be allowed if England is to remain self sufficient or not become a Hong Kong style hi-rise pigeon coop. Developers had better hang up their heavy construction equipment to prevent future losses from lack (actually there is nowhere left to build) of demand and consider getting into home extensions work and such.

Unless England is to be a ‘gray and unpleasant’ land (Foggy gaslight London era, drowning in rising sewage anyone? Throw in a few Jack the Rippers, absinth drinking detectives and grape eating hookers for some excitement . . . ), overbuilt that is, without green lungs, like a Englishstani slum that an Indian film maker can go to to film Slumdog Millionaire : Englishstan . . . The time of developers and developer/construction stocks is over, excepting companies able to build massive Arcology type structures and a dystopian ‘Bladerunner’ hyperdense hive that eventually turns into the ‘Matrix’, which still downs most of the smaller ‘construction’ companies without their own development landbanks.

ARTICLE 15

Lakota Sioux Nation Leaves America by Stephen Lendman – 10-1-12

America betrayed them and all Native Peoples. Throughout US history and earlier, genocide was policy.

Historian Ward Churchill explained four centuries of systematic slaughter. It went on from 1492 – 1892. It continues today against Native culture.

Churchill estimated around 100 million Native People throughout the Americas “hacked apart with axes and swords, burned alive and trampled under horses, hunted as game and fed to dogs, shot, beaten, stabbed, scalped for bounty, hanged on meathooks and thrown over the sides of ships at sea, worked to death as slave laborers, intentionally starved and frozen to death during a multitude of forced marches and internments, and, in an unknown number of instances, deliberately infected with epidemic diseases.”

Destruction of their culture continues in new forms. “The American holocaust was and remains unparalleled, in terms of its scope, ferocity, and continuance over time.”

Survivors represent a tiny fraction of original numbers. They also symbolize a longstanding US tradition of butchery and viciousness.

After centuries of systematic slaughter, Census Bureau data estimated around a quarter-million US survivors. Those living struggle to get by.

Raphael Lemkin defined genocide as:

“the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group” that corresponds to other terms like “tyrannicide, homicide, infanticide, etc.” (It) does not necessarily mean the destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings….It is intended….to signify a coordinated plan (to destroy) the essential foundations of the life of national groups” with the intent to eradicate or substantially weaken or harm them.”

The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Convention defines it legally as:

“any (acts like those above) committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the national, ethnical, racial or religious group (by) killing (its) members; causing (them) serious bodily or mental harm; (or) deliberately inflicting (on them) conditions” that may destroy them in whole or in part.

Destroying peoples’ cultures, preventing them from practicing their religion, speaking their language, and/or passing on their traditions to new generations are genocidal acts.

Constitutional provisions don’t let government abuse people or deny them their rights. They don’t authorize genocide, either within or outside the country. They don’t permit theft and occupation of their lands or any others.

Nonetheless, binding principles are spurned. America, Israel, and rogue NATO partners violate them with impunity. Crimes of war, against humanity, and genocide are official policy. Millions of corpses bear testimony.

On December 17, 2007, a delegation of Lakota people went to Washington. They declared independence. They called it “the latest step in the longest running legal battle” in history.

It’s not a cessation, they said. It’s a lawful “unilateral withdrawal” from treaty obligations permitted under the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

At the time, American Indian Movement (AIM) leader Russell Means said:

“We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us.”

“We offer citizenship to anyone provided they renounce their US citizenship.”

“United States colonial rule is at an end.”

Signed documents were delivered to the State Department. Sovereignty was declared. The Republic of Lakota was established. It’s based on the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie. It created the Great Lakota (Sioux) Nation. It states in part:

“The territory of the Sioux or Dahcotah Nation, commencing the mouth of the White Earth River, on the Missouri River; thence in a southwesterly direction to the forks of the Platte River; thence up the north fork of the Platte River to a point known as the Red Buts, or where the road leaves the river; thence along the range of mountains known as the Black Hills, to the head-waters of Heart River; thence down Heart River to its mouth; and thence down the Missouri River to the place of beginning.”

It gave Lakota people portions of northern Nebraska, half of South Dakota, one-fourth of North Dakota, one-fifth of Montana, and another 20% of Wyoming.

Unilateral withdrawal from all treaties and agreements became policy. America never honored its own. More on that below.

Earlier events led to the 2007 declaration. In 1974, 5,000 International Indian Treaty Council delegates, representing 97 North and South American Indigenous People, signed a Declaration of Continuing Independence.

It was a “Manifesto representing the wisdom of thousands of people, the Ancestors, and the Great Mystery supports the rights of Indigenous Nations to live free and to take whatever actions are necessary for sovereignty.”

Numerous elders approved it. They represented ancestors born to live free. They gave delegates two mandates:

(1) Gain international recognition. In September 2007, the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights affirmed it.

(2) “We must always remember that we were once a free People. If we don’t, we shall cease to be Lakota.”

The right to return to their original free and independent status was asserted. On December 17, 2007, they declared it formally.

In United States v. Sioux Nation (1980), the Supreme Court upheld a $105 million award to eight Sioux tribes. It was compensation for lost land. It was lawlessly taken.

The Court, however, denied what Sioux people most wanted – their land back. As a result, they refused the money. They reasserted their sovereign rights.

Thirty-two years of compound interest makes the 1980 award worth $400 million today. It’s a tiny fraction of what Sioux people lost. They demand and deserve what’s rightfully theirs. America’s highest court has no sovereignty over their rights. Neither does political Washington.

Lakota people say US law supports them. America systematically broke treaties and stole their land. It’s theirs and they want it back. The Republic of Lakota claims it.

On September 29, 2012 Means reiterated what he and others declared in December 2007, saying:

“We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five state area that encompasses our country are free to join us.”

He cited longstanding problems and grievances. They include land theft, resource plunder, poverty, unemployment, repression, and overall human depravation. All of it remains out of sight and mind.

The Republic of Lakota described ongoing genocide as follows:

(1) Mortality

Life expectancy for Lakota men is less than 44 years. It’s the lowest of all sovereign countries. It’s the highest in America. Infant mortality is threefold higher than the US average. Diseases are a major problem. “Cancer is now at epidemic proportions.”

Teenage suicide is150% higher than America’s average. One-fourth of Lakota children are fostered or adopted by non-Native people. Doing so destroys their identity and culture. Ward Churchill calls it killing the Indian, saving the man.

(2) Disease

Tuberculosis is 800% higher than America’s average. Cervical cancer is fivefold higher. Diabetes is eight times the national average. The Federal Commodity Food Program provides high-sugar foods. They contribute to poor health.

(3) Poverty

Annual median income is $2,600 – $3,500. Poverty affects 97% of Lakotans. Many families can’t afford essentials most people take for granted. In winter, many use ovens for heat. Simple luxuries are unheard of. Life is hard, merciless, punishing, and unrelenting.

(4) Unemployment

It’s 80% or higher. Government corruption, cronyism, and indifference destroy normal living opportunities.

(5) Housing

In winter, elderly people die from hypothermia. They freeze to death for lack of heat. One-third of homes lack clean water and sewage. About 40% have no electricity. About 60% of families have no telephone.

Another 60% of homes are infected with potentially fatal black molds. On average, 17 people reside in each household. Many have two to three rooms. Some homes built for six to eight people have up to 30 in them.

The average fluent Lakotan speaker is 65 years old. In another generation or less, perhaps few or none will remain. Lakotan language skills aren’t allowed or taught in US government schools. Nor is much of anything about native history and culture. America wants it destroyed and forgotten.

Lakotan struggle began with the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. They call it “fantasy” US history. France sold America 530 million Native land acres for $15 million. Lakotans owned part of it. They and other Native people weren’t consulted.

America’s winning the West involved invading, encroaching, stealing, and occupying their lands. That’s how imperialism works. It’s the same everywhere.

Throughout the 19th century (and earlier), Washington engaged in military, legal, and political battles against Native Peoples. Their rights were contemptuously denied. They were displaced and exterminated. That’s how today’s America was created.

The 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie was systematically violated. So were provisions of all other treaties. From 1866 – 1868, Washington let the Bozeman trail go through the “Heart of the Lakota Nation.”

It was a short cut to Montana’s gold fields. Military forts were built on stolen land along its route. Doing so violated 1851 treaty provisions. Battles ensued. Washington negotiated peace. The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty followed. Native People thought they won. Victory was pyrrhic and illusory.

The Supreme Court’s 1883 ex parte Crow Dog decision made no difference. The Court recognized Lakotah freedom and independence. It ruled that tribes held exclusive jurisdiction over their internal affairs. It didn’t matter.

The transcontinental railroad facilitated development, land and resource theft.

In 1885, Congress passed the Major Crimes Act. It extended US jurisdiction into Lakota territory. The same year, the last of the great buffalo herds were exterminated. At one time, they numbered 60 million. Native People relied on them for food.

In 1887, Congress passed the General Allotment Act (the Dawes Act). It ended communal ownership of reservation lands. It distributed 160-acre “allotments” to individual Indians. Tribes lost millions of acres. Wealthy ranchers exploit them today.

In 1888, Congress began prohibiting Indian Spiritual and Prayer Ceremonies. It was part of destroying Native culture. In 1891, a Commissioner of Indian Affairs was authorized. It was to assure Native People obeyed white man’s laws.

Many more abuses followed. In Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock (1903), the Supreme Court extralegally recognized near absolute plenary congressional power over Indian affairs.

It let US authorities steal tribal lands and resources freely. They did so on the pretext of fulfilling federal responsibilities.

Doing so abrogated fundamental indigenous rights unilaterally. The ruling was used to violate hundreds of treaties. Like other Native Peoples, Lakotans were grievously harmed.

Their sacred Black Hills were stolen. So were valued resources on them. Lakotans want back what’s rightfully theirs. Their ancestors thought the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty granted them victory. They were wrong.

Yet in 1904, even after Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock, some believed the Treaty was “the only instance in the history of the United States where the government has gone to war and afterwards negotiated a peace conceding everything demanded by the enemy and exacting nothing in return.”

Until the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act, Native People got what no one had the right to deny them in the first place. In fact, rights afforded them nominally never existed in fact.

The entire history of Native People in America reflects horrific struggles lost. From 1492 to today, they experienced promises made and broken. Disenfranchized people remain. Most are bereft of hope.

On reservations or assimilated, they’re out of sight and mind. Once they lived peacefully on their own land. White settlers changed things. Western civilization destroyed their way of life. There’s nothing civilized about it.

They’re either ignored, mocked, or demonized in films and society. They’re called drunks, beasts, primitives, and savages. America always was a white supremacist society.

Rich powerful elites run it. Native People and most others don’t matter. They’re systematically used and abused. They’re not served. It’s the American way.

Thats ALL non-European, non-English sovereign nations which have become so-called USA and so-called Canada. Does the UN know this fact? What the colonial Europeans and English did was barbaric and needs proper reparations instead of mere ‘Indian Reservations’. Shall USA and Canada be run by a Supreme Council of Tribal Chieftains from all territories on this map? All existing European and English people who did not benefit from or cause murder and slavery should be allowed to remain as citizens, those identified as having benefited should be repatriated to their home nations. A 600 year long holocaust occured here that history cannot bury and that has not been corrected or apologized for yet. (Caption by @AgreeToDisagree, Map from http://www.manataka.org)

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is titled “How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War”

The true language of ‘America’ is Native Ameri-Indian, NOT English. To be fair to the Native Ameri-Indians, perhaps all of the ‘5 Civilised Tribes’ should have a Governor each and a UN Representative of USA should be Red Native Ameri-Indian as well. A black president says much about USA today, not go even further and have an Ameri-Indian President neext (not those 1/8th blood types but as pure as possible).

Meanwhile Sabah and Sarawak should demand 100% disbursement rights and 100% equality for Orang Asli and access to ALL Special Privileges, to be implemented immediately or secede and get their own UN seat instead. Whats the point of not having a UN seat and not even being able to disburse your own states’ wealth AND being made into second class citizens without :

Whats so great about east Malaysia staying in Malaysia? The worst among Muslims force Islam on the Orang Asli who are vulnerable, and Malaysia’s APARTHEID Bumiputra system has parasited on the Orang Asli Chieftain-RULERS using Islam to a degree as a weapon of control via threat of violence to these simple Tuak drinking, boar bucaneering, Keris inventing, spirit-lamp using peoples, taken away their land via illegal laws that the UN would never approve or even sue as war criminals over (the Bar Council is asleeep as usual does not care at all), invited loggers that denuded the forests and planted dull and eco-diversity destroying oil palm plantations . . . whats the point for Sabah and Sarawak to stay in malaysia unless the above listed are granted immediately?

Any Orang Asli worth their pride as warriors (those Orang Asli made mincemeat of the oppresso-Christians before in Kalimantan didn’t they? Now Christian DAP is back again with more neo-colonial b.s.. . . . make mincemeat of the Apartheid of Bumiputra) will prefer to have a seat at the UN as a PM instead of as a DAP or BN stooge that only gets 5% or 15% (as CM of Penang Lim Guan Eng ‘generously’ – actually INSULTINGLY – offered 15% as being ‘better than BN’s 5%’) of THEIR OWN WEALTH?

Try the response to this article : Grievances of the Temiar tribe must be addressed – reposted by @AgreeToDisagree – Feb 23, 2012 @ 8:01- https://malaysiandemocracy.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/3719/ that belong to the nomadic and eco-friendly Orang Asli instead of plantations! Free yourselves Orang Asli! Give BN an ultimatum to grant the above or begin filing for secession at the UN. Chieftains must be intelligent and civilised men not stupid uneducated ‘natives’ who cannot even keep their religion and culture or lands intact! Get your sovereign seat at the UN if BN still wants to keep control, or if Pakatan refuses to change their entitlement mentality regards equality of citizenship and return of stolen lands!

Orang Asli Chieftains! Never accept this heartbreaking and heartrending treatment of your people’s anymore! Demand equality and show idiots like CM Lim Guan Eng or Minister Chua Soi Lek or MIC leading the Malaysian Chinese and Indian community cowards and colluders who dare not ask for equality how to be indepdnent equals in their own country by filing lawsuit at the UN for the above listed 3 items as well as all the above response’s listed demands! Scottish PM would-be leading the Scottish Independence movement, Alex Salmond should have a talk to the Orang Asli Chieftains about independence and how much a sovereign seat at the UN would be better than this ‘trash’ deal offered by Pakatan rakyat’s Guan Eng (who doesn’t even dare try secure end of apartheid for the Chinese on the Malaysian Peninsular) or Barisan’s apartheid and Islamic proselytisation and stealing of lands (especially ancestral grave sites which the Muslims seem to fear and try very hard to target).

Don’t dare say that non-Muslims, some here for tens of generations despite not being ethnic Malay do not deserve 1st class citizenships! Especially so the pureblood Orang Asli who didn’t intermarry with the Middle Eastern or ASEAN peoples, are the TRUE Nusantaran Animist MALAYS, not Muslims who were converted from Orang Asli and took Arabic names. No citizen should not be punished and disenfranchised or have any privileges denied them simply for having a different religion! Religion is disenfranchisement! Especially when the Constitution guarantees equality, the UN Article 1 which Malaysia is a signatory of, and the Social Contract states that Special Privileges were to only last 15 years before review and removal. How could 20,000 or more year old settlements be displaced then made into second class citizens by Muslim converts who too are Orang Asli, albeit now in mixed marriage (and without original malay names) to Arab traders who arrived mostly in the 15th Century? End the apartheid! The Orang Asli are your own REAL ORIGINAL Malaysians who have even managed to preserve their original Nusantaran faith! The original faith of Nusantaran Animism! Spiritual Colonialism is not something the Malays expected, but to deny the Orang Asli equality is just unprincipled. Finally Islam states that all citizens are to be treated equally regardless of faith.

Who’s a Muslim? Find your roots those who care and understand . . . that one can be a successful ethnic-Malay who is not a Muslim that deserves equal treatment, not persecution for applying Article 18 of the UNHRC. Know those roots without oppressing all other minorities with Islam. Find your real names as well. Before the Arabs came to Malaysia, what were real Malay names? Look to Indonesia and note the real Indonesian names as opposed to Arabic names. Spiritual Colonialisation no less!

A Japanese model isn’t masking her intentions to be famous, but she is wearing a mask.

Her name is Anna Amemiya and she has earned a certain amount of recognition by wearing a giant mask based on the facial features normally associated with anime comics and cartoons.

She first popped onto the Japanese pop scene as a model in 2010 and released a DVD in December of that year. So far, her biggest contribution to local culture was the lifesize pillow featuring her body, according to OddityCentral.

Amemiya, 22, reportedly only appears in public with the giant head, which makes it easy for fans to spot her in her latest endeavor: A play in Tokyo called “Venus Fantasista,” which is based on a Japanese mobile game about a ragtag group of beautiful girls who form a soccer team, RocketNews24.com reported.

David Merrill, a comic artist and journalist who writes about comics and anime, said Amemiya’s decision to perform with a giant cartoon mask on her noggin takes “cosplay” — a term for when adults dress up as characters from anime, manga, fantasy or sci-fi — to “an ultra creepy level.”

“This is a name for what she’s doing is ‘kigurumi,’ where adults, mostly men, dress up as creepy anime mascots, first by wearing body suits to compress their figures before slipping on the costumes,” Merrill told the Huffington Post. “This is the first time I’ve seen an adult wear the mask like this though. It’s very fetishy — like a gimp mask.”

Merrill thinks Amemiya’s rise to fame showcases the difference between Japanese and North American culture.

“If she was here, people would be trying to get photos of her without the mask,” he said. “In Japan, they’re not interested in what looks like in real life.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Some people don’t look so good. This is the best way to compensate barring expensive facial plastic surgery. Not creepy, just poor or p(l)ain-shy, no different from plastic surgery faces in any case, except the mask can come off.

“Is this the legendary disguising technique in wuxia fiction?” The sale of extremely realistic “human skin” masks on Taobao.com has provoked heated discussions among Chinese netizens, some of whom fear the masks may be used by criminals. “The ‘human skin’ masks have been on the market for a year, and are mostly used for entertainment. It is well within legal limits, so Taobao has no right to interfere,” a Taobao spokesperson said.

Although the shopkeepers have specified on the notes for buyers that these masks sold in their shops are only used for entertainment, parties, performances, film and television special effects and collections, not for any criminal activities. Otherwise, they must take the consequence. However, netizens are still worried about selling the masks on the Internet and some even asked how the police should do if the murderer wearing a mask commits a crime. Doesn’t the online purchase of these masks provide an opportunity to the lawbreakers?

The reporter logged on to taobao.com and searched “human skin masks,” and saw eight options, including “high-imitation human skin masks,” “disguise using human skin masks ” and “mask of a real person.” Among them, three shops sell high-simulated human skin masks, priced at 500 yuan to 9,000 yuan, and the popular masks in one shop are not custom-made, but the appearance of an Asian middle-aged man. Three such masks have been sold within half a month.

One shop owner who claimed to be the originator of “human skin masks” told the reporter that these masks are made of imported medical silicone and have good elasticity. They are fit for various types of faces but it is very complex to produce them. In addition to fixed styles, customers also can spend 20,000 yuan to custom-make a mask by providing a photo of a person. When asked whether it needs to be agreed by the person, the shop owner said that it does not need any procedures. Customers only need to pay 50 percent down payment and email the photo to the manufacturer, they can get it one month later.

The reporter made a call to the public relations department of Taobao and was told that Taobao is very strict to the products sold on its website and it absolutely prohibits the sales of illegal goods. At present, the “human skin masks” are mainly used for entertainment and film and television production and they belong to legitimate sales, so Taobao cannot interfere to them. The photo can be processed so as to look more authentic.

The reporter also called Beijing’s business administration department of Beijing and quality supervision hotline and was told that the sale of “human skin masks” is legitimate. These masks manufacturers are legitimate if they have a business licensing and these masks do not have a quality problem.

The Beijing police said, “It will make the case confused if criminals use a mask to commit crime. However, such cases have not yet occurred in Beijing, so we do not know what influence such cases will bring.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Perhaps make ownership of masks that look like existing people illegal, needing an identity card AND appearing in person to order or commission a mask. Mask license plates? Improved versions of oneself could be legal PROVIDED some obviously artificial distinguising mark is used (perhaps a lightly applied ‘racoon’ Yosemite Sam style over the artificial mask), and similar looking people owning similar looking masks could be legal. Many people may not look good enough or want to appear in public and be immediately recognizable for any number of reasons (i.e. working at menial jobs etc.) so masks (in this example masks that obscure identity) might still be in demand or in use, though.

It’s a Saturday afternoon and, having told me that my wardrobe is a little “tired”, my girlfriend decides to take me shopping in Shoreditch. We go to a store called A.P.C. It’s French, which is apparently justification for charging £75 for a t-shirt.

Once inside I immediately feel uncomfortable. The people in here are different. They have unblemished, olive skin. Their clothes fit. They do not have the permanently awkward, anaemic look of someone who has just finished masturbating. This place is not for me.

By the time I’ve seen the warning signs, it’s too late, I’m in the tractor beam of a hipster shop assistant from Brooklyn who’s wearing enough colours to induce an acid trip. She’s insisting that buying some jeans would be, like, totally the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

To make matters worse, my girlfriend and the shop assistant appear to have fused into Siamese twins and are simultaneously barking at me about colours, cuts and sizes. I’m scared and disorientated. It’s like a sartorial Vietnam.

Moments later, in a flurry of arms and emphatic adverbs, I’m standing in my boxers, alone in a 4ft by 4ft cell with a pair of absurdly tight jeans and a distinct absence of dignity. Somehow, I’m supposed to get these jeans on. Beginning to panic, I look around for something, anything, that’s going to help. Do they have Vaseline dispensers for this kind of thing?

So I try again. Eventually, after much pulling, struggling and twisting, I get them on. After breathing in to the point of asphyxiation, I even manage to get the jeans buttoned. Moving, however, is a more complex challenge. My entire lower body appears to have been shrink wrapped.

Somehow I manage to get out of the door without ripping anything, although each step almost certainly diminishes my chances of procreating. The reaction outside is jubilant. My girlfriend and Brooklyn girl are shouting and whooping with joy as if I’ve just surgically prevented Piers Morgan from ever speaking again. The jeans, apparently, look good. In my naivety I’m swept up by this notion as well. I’m temporarily convinced that buying these things might actually be a good idea, that maybe I’m not a fashion vacuum after all.

I’ve set myself up for a fall, of course.

On returning to the changing room I bend over to pick up a hanger from the floor. That’s when it happens. The sound is horrendous, a trumpet blast of a rip from somewhere around my nether regions. I hold the position, bent double. The chatter of the shop outside has been replaced by grim silence. The beautiful people are displeased.

There is some desperate hope within me that the sound wasn’t what I thought it was, that actually I’ve farted extremely loudly without feeling it. A swift examination of the jeans’ rear seam dispels this notion. They are horribly ripped.

“Are you OK in there?” sneers Brooklyn girl. My girlfriend clears her throat. I am no longer the hero of the hour.

This is almost certainly the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, but with awful clarity I realise the only option available. Like a true Brit, I’m going to pretend that everything’s fine and buy the jeans out of sheer shame.

“Fine, thanks. I love these jeans. Just. Love. Them,” I say, stifling a sob. “Could you ring them through the till now and I’ll pay once I’m out?”

There are tears in my eyes as I approach the counter with the tightly folded jeans under my arm. Bag? No, darling, I don’t need a bloody bag.

Being British, I haven’t even dared to ask how much the things are going to set me back. The card machine is presented with a flourish and I can barely look at the screen as I tap out another line of debt to Barclays. In my head I’m working out which of my friends knows how to sew.

“Oh and by the way,” trills Brooklyn girl as the irrevocable green button is pushed, “you can’t wash them.” And she’s right, I can’t. Not for four months, apparently, when I’m allowed to gently steam them in the bathroom. Insult, meet injury.

So for a while I wandered around Shoreditch in the sewn up jeans. I pretended to be one of them. You know, “them” the impossibly smug types that work in the creative industries and all look like David Bowie. The sort whose jeans, far from being simply tight, are easily mistaken for a paint job. Them.

I’m fooling nobody, of course, because I don’t look like Bowie. I have no hair, you see, and I’ve a bulbous head that’s too big for my body. I look a bit like a potato that’s been skewered on a fork, and no amount of trendy clothing is going to fix that.

In the end the jeans split again anyway. Now they lie crumpled at the bottom of my wardrobe while my overdraft continues to expand faster than Oprah.

The moral of the story? Fashion is mass cultural hypnosis. It’s a hamster wheel for the special ones, the ones with stone-cutting cheekbones and flawless skin. We ordinaries just aren’t cut out for it. So wear what you damned well please. You’ll be happier, richer and you’ll be able to use your pockets.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Look at the comment of the previous article. Instead of barring ugly or mishappen people, recommend masks/plastic surgery or extra large/all covering clothes instead – like a burkha or kaftan which the most shapeless or weirdly shaped among Arabs pull off just fine. A stylized mask wearing ugly person would be just as cool because the ‘beautiful people’ (unless partocularly communal as a group far from mainstream – like extreme subculture types) are also people would be happy to keep them as friends even though the mask will be the person rather than the person and superficiality of the feeling of doing a good deed while not being offended by bad looks make the presence of these people worthwhile. Ugly People Should Bother With Fashion, but should make the effort to hide their ugliness with faux aesthetic which is better than plain ugly.

For those who ‘ . . . look a bit like a potato that’s been skewered on a fork . . . ‘ take the burkha or kaftan advice seriously, except use material that the target audience will be appreciative of. The beautiful people of course can get away with the shabbiest outfit or second hand shop stuff.

The moral of the story? Mass cultural hypnosis needs to be countered. The special ones, will get off that hamster wheel for the ones wearing phantom of the opera style (or any other style one prefers) stone-cutting angular cheekbones and flawless skin. The ordinaries just aren’t cut out for it. So wear what damned well pleases them. They’ll be happier, richer and they’ll be able to use whats in their pockets. Dress code and ‘beauty code’ still can be applied, in which ‘uglies’ will be barred from entry, much like bouncers/doormen on particularly crowded nights or popular venues, choose the best looking people to enter their pubs etc.. so that the crowd looks cool rather than a total mess. During bad economy times (or *shudder* a ugly genetics boom – this is what might have happened in some countries with a lack of good models btw) if the venues are considered expensive, the most appearance discriminating venues will be the first to drop off.

In “Ultima Forever,” players must make choices based on questions that often don’t have black-or-white answers.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

“Ultima Forever” challenges players to gain virtue, not hack and slash
The game is a followup to 1985’s “Ultima IV”
Designers say questions in the game have no black-and-white answers
It will be released late this year for PC, iPad

(CNN) — Making a video game espousing the virtues of compassion, sacrifice and spirituality doesn’t sound like a winner in today’s battle-happy gaming environment. But 27 years ago, it was exactly the type of game that caught the imagination and spurred excitement in gamers.

Developers at Bioware are hoping to catch that same virtual lightning in a bottle with “Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar,” the next chapter in the search for the Avatar of Britannia.

In it, the hero must achieve the highest levels in eight virtues: Valor, Justice, Honor, Compassion, Honestly, Humility, Sacrifice and Spirituality. Through actions in the game, players strive to become a shining example of good for the population.

The new title is based off “Ultima IV,” a computer game dating all the way to 1985. It is considered one of the most innovative games ever because of its divergence from the typical hack-and-slash approach. Lead designer Kate Flack said “Ultima Forever” hopes to bring back the appeal of being a good person in a video game.

“Games are a cultural artifact. They are affected by all the things around them,” Flack said. The developers of “Ultima IV” “were saying games can be about being a good person. At the time, it was in reaction to a backlash against the violence and things in video games.

“I think the parallel nowadays is that we are almost frightened of high fantasy. If it’s not covered in blood, we don’t believe it. I’m going to be as subversive as ‘Ultima IV’ was at the time.”

“Ultima Forever” picks up 21 years after “Ultima IV” left off. Players can join up to three friends, as each works toward the goal of becoming the virtuous “avatar” of the land.

While the graphics, look and feel have obviously been upgraded due to advancements in technology over the years, Flack said the concept still remains true to what it was nearly three decades ago.

“It’s about mastering yourself, not mastering the world,” she said. “When (a non-player character) asks you a question … you are forced to pause and ask yourself, ‘What do I think is the right thing to do? Do I want to be kind, or do I want to be fair? What kind of person am I?’ ”

Rather than seeing how many creatures a player can kill or how much gold they can accumulate, Flack is more interested in getting inside the player’s head. She says the game is almost like a personality test, giving players choices in the attempt to be a good person. How they get there is up to them.

“It’s not like the game is going to grab you by the throat and make you make these choices. It is a slow drip-drip-drip. And maybe they will start to recognize these same choices in their real life and become better people,” she said.

As players progress, choices need to be made about questions that don’t always have black-and-white answers.

You find a bag of gold, which you know was stolen. Do you give it to the authorities (Honesty), donate it to the church (Spirituality) or hand it over to a starving family (Compassion)? Keeping it, which would be the likely choice in most of today’s games, doesn’t help you win this one.

Bioware designer Alec Fisher-Lasky was a former Arlington County, Virginia, police officer before deciding to get into video games. He says the decisions made in “Ultima Forever” are similar to the types of decisions he had to make while on the force — just at a much slower pace.

“When I found out they were working on the ‘Ultima’ series, I was really excited about it. It ties into what I had done as a police officer facing these kinds of moral decisions every day,” Fisher-Lasky said. “I wanted to give that experience to players. What do I do in this situation? What are the consequences? Why would I do this one thing over another?”

He said it was a challenge to make the player feel like their choices truly matter. If designers have done their job well, he thinks, people will care about their in-game decisions and really examine what kind of person outside of the game they are to make those choices.

“Ultima Forever” will be released free-to-play for PCs and the iPad this year, with more character classes, content and platforms announced later. Flack said Bioware’s experience with massively multiplayer online games allowed it to stuff a lot of detail into the mobile version without sacrificing its look on more powerful PCs.

Fans are already reacting to the early news of a new “Ultima” game. Players who played “IV” in their youth have said on the “Ultima Forever” Facebook page that they are looking forward to sharing a similar experience with their kids. Diehard fans of the franchise are also very excited.

“‘Ultima IV’ is the game that all modern (role-playing games) flow from, but it’s also kind of the impossible platonic ideal of a (computer role-playing game),” said retro-gamer Ben Lesnick, 31, of Washington. “It came at this incredibly special time in game development history where that kind of game could exist. Really, if ‘Ultima Forever’ is one-tenth as engrossing as ‘Ultima IV,’ then we’ll have a pretty fantastic game that’s worth playing on its own merits.”

Flack said she tried to be respectful while working on this project. She understands the history and emotion tied into the franchise and didn’t want to override people’s memories of the game.

“It’s not going to suit everybody,” she said. “And in fact, making a game that does suit everybody is going to let the fans down more, in a way. It’s bland. It’s insipid. It’s the worst possible thing you can do with ‘Ultima.’ I’d rather try and make a statement than not.”

Players may sign up now to be involved in the “Ultima Forever” beta test.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

You find a bag of gold, which you know was stolen. Do you give it to the authorities (Honesty), donate it to the church (Spirituality) or hand it over to a starving family (Compassion)? Keeping it, which would be the likely choice in most of today’s games, doesn’t help you win this one.

i) Authorities are not always honest, they do not deserve the right to disemburse even, they probably wouldn’t of the owners do not turn up to claim.
ii) Donate to Church, again an even narrower interest group which may allude to fundamentalism and disenfranchisement of all other faiths.
iii) Hand over to starving family . . . give a man a fish vs teaching a man to fish vs BUYING the man a fishstocks for fish farming ponds. None of the above options sorry, just too simplistic. BUYING the man a fish farm was not offered as an option . . .

How about buying the election so that land can be distributed? If the gold is too little, then put that aside until enough to buy a field to grow food that can feed MANY starving families. The above worries me, thoughtful yes, potential for being manipulative and imposing limited option mindsets – very much so as well. Kinda sickening and dangerous when scripting is not open source, when software codes are all monopolized, could you trust ‘thoughtful’ to people who’d rather develoope your game for you or give you the power to develop your own games . . . so here we go again . . . another round of b.s. that a simple vote cast in the right manner that could distribute land and wealth . . . Kinder and gentler? For certain. But clarity of thought? Just as bad as the rest of ‘post-book era’ offerings.

New Delhi: Ever since she announced on Twitter that she will feature nude on the cover of Playboy magazine, Bollywood actor of mainly B-grade films, Sherlyn Chopra, has never stopped creating ripples on social media websites, be it with raunchy pictures, teasers of her photoshoot, or as is in this case – outstanding confession of having accepted money for sex.

A series of ‘confessional’ tweets from the unverified account of Chopra, who supposedly tweets from the handle @SherlynChopra, shocked users on Friday. Chopra claimed in those tweets she has had paid sex in her life, but she is past that phase now. In the contrite posts – meant for her fans – a slightly defensive Chopra said it was up to people on how they wanted to perceive her after reading her tweets.

“The confessions of ‘just a girl’ – Dear all, before I proceed, let me make it very clear that the intent of sharing the following confessions. It is not to create public sympathy or to raise eyebrows or to project myself as a ‘bad girl gone good’, it’s just to state a few facts. Physical intimacy with me at a price…. I’ve had sex for money, having indulged in out of free will…. but ever since I got back from LA in July this year, there has been a shift in my level of consciousness,” Chopra said.

Sherlyn Chopra: I’ve had paid sex but I’m no longer available

She had spent some time shooting for her Playboy cover at the famous Playboy mansion and posted photos with (soft porn) mogul Hugh Hefner.

“I now understand that I cannot claim to be ‘free’ and continue to make choices n decisions under obligation. I enjoy being bold. I enjoy oozing sexuality in still pictures and in moving visuals. I enjoy being a tease. I enjoy sex when it is the end result of an uncontrollable lust and or attraction. Sorry to disappoint you but I’m no longer available for paid sex,” she said.

Chopra then gets philosophical.

“I’ve come to realize that I derive no pleasure or joy out of physical intimacy that is pursued out of obligation (mental/emotional/financial or any other kind). I now believe that there is in infinite power and infinite intelligence within each one of us and if we persist in having a child like faith and a child like belief in the powers of the Spirit/the Subconscious Mind. “Then there shall be no lack of tangible and intangibles riches in our lives. You are free to make a mockery of my confessions or to consider them as utter nonsense or to believe in their genuineness,” she said.

The response from her readers was largely positive. They praised her gumption and honesty.

One user @justeshoo said “Mam it takes guts to admit mistakes, but you have done it amidst the whole world, I salute you.” Another @jaspreet_abat said “Such a bold girl you are. Good luck Sherlyn.” and @Stanmanplan said “it takes courage to come clean!”

Bollywood | Posted on Sep 01, 2012 at 01:11pm IST

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

“I now understand that I cannot claim to be ‘free’ and continue to make choices n decisions under obligation. THEN SHERLYN GOES . . . I enjoy being bold. I enjoy oozing sexuality in still pictures and in moving visuals. I enjoy being a tease. I enjoy sex when it is the end result of an uncontrollable lust and or attraction. Oxymoron? The first part almost is an Orwellian NLP . . . ‘free’ and continue to make choices n decisions under obligation’ is contradictory to the spirit of the second statement . . . another aging person quits, and in suitably good time too. No exactly an adult worker type per se, but a much needed voice. Pity Chopra had to ‘drop’ the lifestyle rather than call that retirement and switch to teaching others to be relaxed about this, to be sex positive. Perhaps set up a “Playboy Mansion in India”, to spread the sex positive mindset, with appropriate warning to those who might want to gentrify later of course . . . Chopra may technicality (Can someone who has technically done sex work as a hobbyist count?) never fit into a Brahmin mould now, but does represent a well near perfect facet of human existence and consciousness.

Hugh Hefner needs to formalize that RLD school or whatnot, run for Congressman to put a permanent footprint in at least non-fundo nationsworldwide (or US states with no RLD). This ‘ choices n decisions under obligation’ talk is something when one has not decided to seek something beyond human levels of existence, flowing with the current tends to be what most young people do . . . Let the ‘mere mortals’ enjoy their lives without polluting their minds with all encompassing/all brutalizing religion etc..!

The female rights movement needs this for of alternative voice! The adult work industry needs a role model as well, though overcharging (charging should be on the basis of the wealth of the customer) and being choosy of who to work with (this determines if one is professional or a hobbyist), becomes quite blurred if Chopra is to lead in this area! Something to think about you adult workers! And try for 401K pension plans as well. Professionals need to prepare for retirement as well, doubtless the less ‘capable’ or well connected will choose mistressing or gold digging escorting for the rich pretty boys – beware sensitive souls among this lot, do your family background checks if you want bonafide UC types to marry and not the incidental adult worker looking for way out of poverty . . . Run for congresswoman in India and set up formal RLDs!

They’ve been dropping some pretty heavy handed hints, but today teen bride Courtney Stodden, and her mother Krista, got the brush off from Playboy magazine.

The former beauty queen and wife of 52-year-old actor Doug Hutchinson, has reportedly been flooded with offers from porn producers after turning 18 last week.

After the bottle blonde teen made her feelings clear on the matter this weekend when she tweeted: ‘No to porn…yes to @Playboy’, the world famous magazine apparently said she was not up to their standards.

No thanks: Courtney Stodden, pictured on Sunday, has been turned down by Playboy magazine

Just say no: Courtney ruled out a porn role however, preferring to strip for the more conservative Playboy magazine

According to reports a source at the magazine said Courtney would not make the cut due to her ‘enhancements’.

But Stodden‘s mother told MailOnline that her daughter had an entirely natural figure.

‘She has never had any plastic surgery – nothing to her face, her breasts, her body. She looks good without makeup,’ Krista said.

And she explained that Courtney had just been ‘expressing an interest’ in Playboy.

‘We are in conversation with Playboy. They haven’t even seen any of her photos yet,’ she said.

‘Courtney was saying that she would be interested in Playboy.’
Stay classy: The 18-year-old has been inundated with offers to do pornography

Stay classy: The 18-year-old has been inundated with offers to do pornography

Kirsta, who signed the legal consent form allowing her to marry when she was just 16, describes herself as Courtney’s ‘momager’.

She has two older daughters, who are both married with children ‘to men their own age’ and live ‘conventional lives’ in Washington State.

Of Courtney she said: ‘She’s not conventional.’

The teen proved her figure was natural last year, when she appeared on Dr Drew Pinksy’s television show Lifechangers.

‘I guess she was telling us the truth. She does not have implants,’ said Dr Drew on the show after an ultrasound showed only natural breast tissue.
Not his type: Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine has said that they are not interested in seeing anymore of the buxom blonde

Not his type: Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine has said that they are not interested in seeing anymore of the buxom blonde

Man management: Courtney was kept under a close eye by her 52-year-old husband actor Doug Hutchison

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Too proud for hardcore eh Playboy? Well to each their own. Don’t worry Courtney!

ARTICLE 6.5

Playboy to Courtney Stodden – You’ll NEVER Be in Our Magazine

Young Bride with a matured outlook.

Stodden told TMZ Live this week she is considering doing porn — after receiving at least 4 offers — but then tweeted last night she wasn’t … and was doing Playboy instead.

But according to our Playboy sources, no offer has been made to Stodden nor will one EVER be made. Our sources say Stodden “doesn’t meet the standards of a Playboy model” … adding she looks too “enhanced.”

One source added, “[Playboy] would NEVER take her. I don’t think anybody really wants to see that anyway.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

One source added, “[Playboy] would NEVER take her. I don’t think anybody really wants to see that anyway.” Thats the voice of 1% discrimination against the middles and lowers. But focus demographics need to be maintained. Don’t worry COurtney theres always Hustler or Penthouse, if not some of the other newer porn brands.

Playboy is an American men’s magazine that features CLASSY photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner’s mother.

Natural look or natural only eh? Never seemed that Playboy was very middle class or above? But a helpful clarification. Playboy is just being for the 1% now, boo! But definately an alpha male icon bastion, though dismissive of the LCs. Try Hustler or Penthouse (less toffish and wider range of audiences, being inclusive of hardcore etc..) then Courtney! Hugh is so lucky! Everyone should have an alpha fostering mother like Hugh has regards mentality towards social form! Playboy is great for making inroads into the more fundo areas bring upper class oriented and hence less ‘rowdy’, but somewhat neglects the lower classes. Still some mags will have their focal demographics and Playboy has done tremendously well thus far and should not deviate and lose focus. Playboy should push for RLDs in every State Capital in the USA, as well as Playboy Mansions in every state as well. Look here if McDonalds can do 10 times as many outlets, Playboy can at least have 1 ‘outlet’ in each Capital. Ridiculous to say that people have to travel that far to enjoy the ‘Playboy’ atmosphere especially in the USA.

‘Today, Hustler is still considered more explicit (and more self-consciously lowbrow) than such well known competitors as Playboy and Penthouse. It frequently depicts hardcore themes, such as the use of sex toys, penetration and group sex.’

In 1998 Penthouse decided to change its format and began featuring sexually explicit pictures (i.e., actual oral, vaginal, and anal penetration), beginning with photos from the famed Stolen Honeymoonkirag sex tape featuring Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. It also began to regularly feature pictorials of female models urinating, which, until then, had been considered a defining limit of illegal obscenity as distinguished from legal pornography. The new owners (see below) significantly softened the content of the magazine starting with the January 2005 issue. Penthouse no longer showed male genitalia, real or simulated male-female sex, or any form of explicit hardcore content. (It does still feature female-female simulated sex, at least on occasion.) While this change allowed the return of a limited number of mainstream advertisers to the magazine, it has not significantly raised the number of subscribers; total circulation is still below 350,000.[5] (Many insiders feel that the softening of content may have hurt the magazine.

Guccione should never have allowed that post 2005 changes, as the fortune of the mag fell, so did Guccione leave us. Better a small outfit that didn’t change the original premise. The new ‘owners’ evidently were there to destroy Penthouse. How about a new focusing on the middles and alternative demographic? Don’t focus on F1, forcus on Car Modding types etc.. Don’t have to go all 1% like Playboy, but no need to get too deep like Hustler too. The 99% and middle class are thfocus of the world now, how about Guccione Jr. start targetting these focus groups?

Playboy is worth 40+ million 10 times Hustler’s 400 million. The 1% are out numbered 100 times which means Hustler is underperformed! Conversely the 1% do own more than 40% of the world’s wealth, so Playboy should be 1.6 billion worth but this is probably because Playboy has a narrow ethnic group representation. How about making inroads to all State Capitals in the USA and all Capitals of the world for all 3 companies?

A federal appeals court in Manhattan says the distinctive red soles of Christian Louboutin shoes are entitled to trademark protection.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled in favor of the French maker of luxury shoes worn by stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Scarlett Johansson and Halle Berry.

The court says Louboutin is entitled to protect its brand against red-soled shoes made by competitor Yves Saint Laurent S.A.S., which is also based in Paris.
Christian Louboutin heels

Win: The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan says the distinctive red soles of Christian Louboutin shoes are entitled to trademark protection

An exception to the rule is when the shoe itself is red as well. In that instance, a rival may match the color of the sole to the color of the shoe.

This would allow YSL to continue to produce ‘monochrome’ versions of its Tribtoo platform pumps.
Exception: When the shoe itself is red as well, however, a rival may match the color of the sole to the color of the shoe

YSL Tribtoo

Red rival: YSL may now continue to produce ‘monochrome’ versions of its Tribtoo platform pumps

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2008 had granted the trademark protection to Louboutin.

Louboutin has applied glossy vivid red to the outsoles of women’s shoes since 1992.

The shoes sell for upwards of $700 a pair.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Ridiculous. More than 20 years ago there were pairs of relatively unknown brands of shoes which were exactly the opposite and did not cost 700. I owned one such pair in fact. Inside of the shoe was lined with red velvet, outside was black leather, the sole of the shoe was black. This Louboutin pair was black-black-red as opposed to red-black-black. The design of the shoe itself unless exactly the same cannot count as copying. Combinations of colours is just one aspect!

Colours and major elements of an article of clothing or shoe cannot be copyrighted. A shoe has 3 portions of which any single or mixed colour can be applied and impossible to bve a trademark signature by. – inside, outside, sole. The judge is colluding and Christian Louboutin is causing an illegal monopoly over COLOUR. Would Daily Mail like to do a piece on APARTHEID in MALAYSIA?

Chris Lighty may not be a household name, but the artists he helped rise to the spotlight like 50 Cent, Q-Tip, Diddy, Foxy Brown, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, and Missy Elliot definitely are. The Bronx native is the man behind Violater Records and Management, and it’s with heavy hearts that we share that he has passed away. According to reports, he was found dead in his Bronx apartment from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Earlier today, he was involved in a spat with his ex-wife at his South Riverdale apartment and law enforcement sources also believe he was dealing with financial struggles, including a $5 million tax debt to the IRS.
Posted by naijagist-amebonews.blogspot.com at 2:41 PM

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

To think Chris made the whole lot so wealthy but they wouldn’t help the guy back. Better them than you Chris. Well, as a spirit though . . . time to collect for sure?

ARTICLE 8

Case Against Pimp/Madam Who Prepares and Grooms workers as young as 13 year olds for Sex Dismissed – by Laup Japcar and Nightly Wail Reporter – PUBLISHED: 13:25 GMT, 25 September 2012 | UPDATED: 13:26 GMT, 25 September 2012

RLD pic for demonstrative purposes (unrelated to article).

In depressed economies teen prostitution is rife, taking money for sex simply is part of growing up. To perform a sex act in a car, have sex parties in defunct properties. ‘In recent times and recent years in this country, we have begun to realise how the extent of sexwork for basic necessities among youth is becoming more prevalent as wealth distribution and opportunity and costs of education become out of reach of the ordinary man. As we are not a Socialist country that distributes kand or the wealth of the plutocracy, sex work is necessary to protect the independence of these pre-adults who’s parents can barely finance themselves.

‘These unwary children must be groomed so they can protect themselves from predators,’ said the unnamed groomer.

Sex workers in depressed economies are sometimes paid with joyrides on anything from a farmer’s tractor to taxi rides to long distance bus fare and air tickets, for soft drinks or alcohol, drugs (we do not recommend and frown upon synthetics) or concert and film tickets. Used mobile phones or used electronics are also accepted. Small change, cigarettes, cuddly toys, treats for handjobs or companionship. Meals (kebabs or other fast food) and shelter are also given as payment for ‘full service’.

The presiding judge M.Gruder said :

Judge McGruder

‘I am not dealing with a team of predators and there are no allegations that the identified clients forced themselves on the boys or girls and duly paid the required minimum wage they charged.’

Predator Team 2

Nai Nameoy, 54, who lives in a caravan on a farm, was found not guilty of statuary rape as the girl told him she would to have sex with him for minimum wage (national) or an hour’s wages for the session which lasted ‘half an hour’.

The unnamed groomer helps identify children and young people who are being taken advantage of or paid below minimum wage, or who are at risk of being sexually exploited, and helps them decide if sex work is for them or not, and works with the parents if needed, as well as identify victims that need freeing from abusive madaming or pimping relationships. ‘The consent contract is very important and we strongly encourage that both or either parties or their agents have a copy that is signed clearly or even better have a video recording of every clients that clearly states consent in cases like these.’ said the groomer.

‘When laws are not clear or common sense, we are a country governed by free will, not theocracy and if there is no coercion or lack of mental capacity on simple exchanges like this, there is no case.‘ Judge M.Gruder said in the closing statement.

In the impact statement, one of the sex workers felt her ‘trust in males has (later) matured.” while another said she “would be ready for the first day of the rest of her life as a sex worker’ after she completes her stint with the groomer. As of 2012 many governments do not recognize sex work as deserving of proper legal status as work, or d

eserving of pension or health plans yet. Prostitution and sex work is still illegal in about 2/3rds of the world’s nations.

David Piecehigh and Piecehigh’s boss were compensated by the complainant for four days of lost work during the proceedings.

David Piecehigh (undated photo) ‘Case dismissed.’

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Thanks for the inspiration for this mostly original article Dailymail from your faked one! Either or both articles do not change the fact that a proper RLD and pensions for sex workers is still needed. More NGOs to help sex workers empower themselves and demand for legal rights as well, and a sex positive mindset for the RLD going/working demographic!

A 24-year-old popstar and a 12-year-old model have apparently fallen for one another, sending social networks in China and around the world into a frenzy.

Akama Miki, 12, declared her love to Zhang Muyi, twice her age and more importantly an adult, and it appears the feeling is mutual.

Miki’s a pre-teen sensation in China with a huge following – about 500,000 on the Chinese social network Weibo – and only follows one person back: Muyi.

The two have posted lovey-dovey posts to each other and photos of themselves together on Weibo.

While there’s no suggestion of a physical relationship, Muyi wished her a happy 12th birthday and vowed to wait “four more birthdays” until Miki is a legal age.

Miki responded: “I will always love you and you will be my darling forever!!!”, attaching a couple of love hearts at the end.

The photo of the pair touching fingers by the water at night, expressing a kiss, has created shockwaves.

Web sceptics have been quick to call the relationship a fake and a publicity stunt.

Still, why would a 24-year-old pretend to be in love with a child to boost his profile?

If you take away “popstar” and “model”, you’re just left with a 24-year-old man declaring his love for a 12-year-old. Alarm bells are ringing.

-news.com.au

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Demogoguery. The Prophet married wife no.2 Aishah at 6 and ‘took’ Aisha at 9. This is none of anyone’s business. Besides, Muyi wished her a happy 12th birthday and vowed to wait “four more birthdays” until Miki is a legal age. Whats the alarm bells b.s. at the end of the article?

ARTICLE 10

‘Soccer Mom Madam’ pleads guilty to promoting prostitution – Anna Gristina, a mother of four, won’t have to serve any more jail time

Prosecutors said Anna Gristina made millions running an illicit escort service for 15 years. Gristina maintained she was merely involved in a dating service. – by Jonathan Dienst, Shimon Prokupecz and Ida Siegal – NBCNewYork.com

The suburban mother of four accused of running an upscale escort service in Manhattan pleaded guilty in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday.

Anna Gristina, 44, of Monroe, N.Y., pleaded guilty to a single count of promoting prostitution, stemming from a July 2011 tryst she allegedly arranged involving two women and an undercover officer posing as a client.

Read the original story at NBCNewYork.com

Gristina will be ordered to serve five years of probation when she’s sentenced on Nov. 20. The four months she’s already spent behind bars will count toward the jail portion of her sentence, and she won’t have to serve any additional time.

Prosecutors said their five-year investigation revealed Gristina had a roster of wealthy, well-placed clients and boasted of law-enforcement connections during 15 years in a business that made her millions.

Gristina was arrested Feb. 22 and was held for months on $2 million bond. An appeals court in June called the amount “unreasonable and an abuse of discretion” and lowered it.

She was released on $250,000 bond in June after four months behind bars.

Gristina’s lawyer unsuccessfully tried to have the case thrown out in August, arguing that the DA’s office “vindictively prosecuted her as a result of her failure to cooperate with investigators” during what he called an illegal interrogation.

Gristina said in court papers that investigators shrugged off her requests for a lawyer and told her they’d let her go if she gave them information about five men — not named in her filings, but described as a financier, an international banker and a member of a politically connected family, among others.

Story: ‘Soccer Mom Madam’ on arrest: ‘It’s decimating my family’

The DA’s office countered in court papers that Gristina “has not produced a shred of evidence of actual vindictiveness.”

A grand jury decided there was enough evidence to indict Gristina before her arrest, undermining her argument that she was prosecuted because she didn’t cooperate, Assistant District Attorneys Elizabeth Roper and Charles Linehan wrote in a July filing.

Story: NYC ponders: Suburban mom or high-rolling madam?

The judge’s ruling didn’t address the way Gristina was questioned, saying simply that there was adequate evidence for the case to go forward.

Jaynie Baker, accused of assisting Gristina as a matchmaking recruiter, struck a deal with prosecutors in August.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Probably isn’t even a real article but here’s answering for answering’s sake.

While the current district Gristina resides in may not have been suitable in some ways, this woman needs to stand up for her right to earn a living through adult services. Being a madam or pimp is not for everyone, but the mindset and skill set is sufficiently rare and unique to need to preserve and not punish about. Overcharging though is not particularly conducive to wealth distribution, even as sequestration of wealth is no less harmful.

There is nothing to be guilty or plead guilty about, Gristina was neither exploitative not doing anything illegal in the ‘spirit of the law’ sense. Perhaps Gristina could challange the state law and set a legal precedent against what could be a form of discrimination against the right to adult work industry work and for association with sex work related workers like pimps and madams as well as adult industry customers. Promoting prostitution should not be an issue unless the area is of religious significance (not contrived though simply to exclude) or peopled by a majority fundo demographic. Where is America’s diversity and sense of justice? The wealth accured was extreme, but what Gristina did was the most natural thing in context of society and hardly harmful save by the brittleness and bigotry of the fundos or leglalists against the lower half of the human body and the industry related.

Under massive pressure and perhaps guilt from overcharging Madam Gristina crumbled and pleaded guilty instead of standing for Adult Industry rights. Shows what the media circus and heartbreaking psychological pressure from the vicious minded society can do to subvert one’s personal values or even the Judiciary’s sense of neutrality. Not civilised at all! At the most relocate Gristina and return some of that oevercharged wealth to the clients and dismiss the case!

You’d think NYC was some fundo state’s backyard the way they treat the Adult Services sector! Legalise and zone! Take a look at Singapore’s RLD model or the Zona Tolerancia in Mexico, Amsterdam’s RLD, and understand that NYC has far more people that the above list of places that need such services.

Not just Freedom of Speech and fighting for the right to speak, but also Freedom of Life and fighting for the right to live. Well judges? Do your job as lawmakers, not jailing is good, but amendments to law need to be implemented at once to prevent wasting legal time and tax monies on non-cases like this.

Oprah and the good guys: The dozen billionaires with big hearts and even bigger bank balances who are planning to spread their wealth around – by Daniel Bates and Louise Boyle – PUBLISHED: 03:37 GMT, 20 September 2012 | UPDATED: 07:04 GMT, 20 September 2012

Congregated behind closed doors of the grandiose Trustees Room at New York Public Library, this group of individuals made for the wealthiest gathering in the world.

The twelve – Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, Bill and Melinda Gates, Pete Petersen, Leon Black, Jon Bon Jovi, Marc Benioff, David Rubenstein, Steve Case, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen and Marc Andreessen – may have made their billions from as diverse pursuits as rock music to microchips, but they have united to dedicate vast portions of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

Their combined wealth totals a staggering $126billion – with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in first and second place respectively. The two leaders of the billionaire pack supported the Summit on Philanthropy – where 161 of the richest people in America met to share ideas on how the wealth might be spread across education, poverty, religion, medicine and the environment.

The combined wealth of America’s richest is $1.7 trillion, up from $1.5 trillion in 2011, in due part to the rising stock market, a rebound in real estate values – especially in cities like Los Angeles and New York, and rising values for art works.

The billionaires posed at the library in Manhattan on June 26 this year for the 30th anniversary cover of Forbes 400, published on October 8.

The combined wealth of America’s richest is $1.7 trillion, up from $1.5 trillion in 2011, in due part to the rising stock market, a rebound in real estate values – especially in cities like Los Angeles and New York, and rising values for art works.

Commentator comments :

John Bon Jovi has a restaurant in NJ. Google it… its a non profit. Pretty much can pay what you like. and if you don’t have money, you can work it off. Menu changes daily.

– Laura , Sarasota Florida USA, 20/9/2012 11:31

Gates stole more than he’s ever going to give back through the exploitation of a virtual monopoly with excessive charges for MS software.

– BobCratchet , London, United Kingdom, 20/9/2012 11:27

Oprah obviously didn’t receive the memo to wear dark clothes. Your eyes immediately go to her before the others, ha.

– LH , Essex, United Kingdom, 20/9/2012 11:16

“161 of the richest people in America met to share ideas on how the wealth might be spread across education, poverty, religion, medicine and the environment.” – Spot the odd one out…why on earth give any money to religion? The three Abrahamic faiths are swimming in money as a result of peddling their lies for so many years, particularly institutions like the Catholic church. Take religion out and that’s a pretty good list to start with though.

– Alex , London, 20/9/2012 11:14

And not a single Bullingdon Dining Club member amongst them

– Bigman , Glasgow, United Kingdom, 20/9/2012 11:08

Its good they’re giving the money but I find this public display a bit sickening. Plenty of wealthy give alot without plastering their faces over a magazine making sure everyone knows.

– Linley , Sydney, 20/9/2012 11:08

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

12 people alone have 126 billion? Look here, 12 people represent less than 1% of North America’s 300 million population, so lets have at least 99% of that wealth re-distributed (124.4 billion) to stop a few hundred thousand foreclosures of viable working families that could tip the scales for USA. The remainder of the 1.6 billion (1%) from 126 billion should be redistributed among these 12, which would mean 130 million each. Thats 324 times a 401K for this lot. They can’t go whining about how 99% of their wealth has been lost when they are worth 300+ times a 401K Joe Public now can they? Lets see if the greed and cynicism will prevent these 12 from doing the 99% right thing or if 130 million is fine by them to save 1000s of good American families (interview respectfully, this will be better than American Idol, ‘Middle Wealth Class Idol’ perhaps?). Last chance for the Capitalism model IMHO, otherwise try 20 million Socialist caps on wealth sequestration if these hearts are big enough . . . 20 million is still 50 times a 401K and sveral lifetimes of work for 99% of Americans.

Consider that 1.7 trillion of the 161 richest, 99% of that redistributed would be 1.68 trillion 17 billion split among 161 people would be 10.5 million each, still 25 times a 401K. How about saving 10s of 1000s of middle class Americans’ lives and homes? Perhaps 75% of that could be used for shelters and staples for the poorest as well. This is TRUE patriotism, saving America’s *VIABLE* (do feel free to ferret out those who won’t make the mark) middle class population, and sharing ‘the fat’, and at least making sure the poorest don’t starve or freeze while so-called ‘plutocrat entertainer stars’ go to East Europe and Asia or Africa (WTF?) to do the same (abit better than plutocrat sportsmen with millions but not even owning a single sports facility to their name – these sorts are in sport for MONEY not love of sport – sports fans could do an audit of major brand sponsors to :

identify then boycott those brands that are merely parasiting off sports goods (actually the gambling industry is doing this even as sportsmen throw games off and on for profit . . . ) FROM brands which are actually run by people/execs who do love the sport,not a bunch of snarky executives gloating at people who buy their overpriced sports goods) while locally back home and most cynically, Americans suffer the same starvation and homelessness, freeze to death as well while plutocrats enjoy lives worth more than 3-10 or 50 times 401K. If the country belongs to everyone, then all the land and all the wealth belongs to everyone – that could come off the limit for wealth sequestration at 20 million. No citizen should be allowed to starve, be homeless much less freeze then being supposed equals. Vote properly Joe Publics!

ARTICLE 2

Foster Friess: America Would Be Better Off With More Wealthy People – September 21, 2012 – By Lawrence Sinclair

Sinclair News is publishing part of an article by Tony Lee dated 18 Sep 2012 which was published at Breitbart.com. We are linking our readers to the complete article.

On the one-year anniversary of the fizzling “Occupy” movement that tried to pit the so-called 99% against the 1%, and on the day in which a video of Mitt Romney talking about the 47% of Americans who pay no federal income taxes drove liberals and the mainstream media into fits, Foster Friess on Monday made an argument that society is better off with more rich people.

Friess is one of the wealthiest and most generous people in the world, and he wrote a piece arguing the world would be better off if there were more “fat cats” like him, less government, and more reliance on the free market.

Friess made many valid points, but his arguments became more significant after a video of Romney’s comments at a fundraiser in May was leaked to the left-wing publication Mother Jones.

Under President Barack Obama, the United States has seen more government and less wealth creation and, according to Friess, that has made the country worse off.

“What do wealthy people do with their money?,” Friess asked in the Newsweek column. “They can only buy so many cars, houses, and steak dinners. So we either give it away or invest it.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

. . . if there were more “fat cats” like him, less government . . .

Most fat cats only exist because of crony capitalism and contractor collusion. In a real fair or free market, making money is VERY DIFFICULT and after decades prices would be deadly competitive by now instead of inflation which is the fault of the Fed reserve or fiat printing and exotic trading like the stock market which is inflated 1000 times normal value, or fractionated trading of commodities that do not exist or monetization-commoditisation of DEBT which is ridiculous and ILLEGAL because one cannot collect of as of yet labour that has no guarantee upon compound interest WHILE jobless to boot!

Even machines have a shelf life, need maintainance at levels that could never pay off loans for the price of the machine alone much less flesh and blood humans who do far worse than machines on top of being pressured for loan repayments that a jobless society which colludes on EVERYTHING, even political free thought which can get the psychiatric establishment down on dissidents and activists.

So think when a supposed fat cat spends the GDP of a small country, while being in debt 10 to 1 million times of whatever effort any 401K person can put in with the ‘poor’ having no access to housing loans (which should not be compound interest but simple interest or basic entrepreneurial loans, let alone exotic trades), simply because the state will bail out that person who is viewed as accountable by the bank rather than the honest 99% working class type, while ‘massive debt types’ viewed as plutocracy get to destroy the nation.

Finally while more rich people are good, when extreme wealth sequestration of the entire nation say at a 1.61 to 300,000,000+million ratio (1:15,000,000+ or a 1 to 15 million ratio – the 1% owns 15 million times that of the 99%!!!), rather than an enforced limit of 1% to 99% ratio at least, Capitalist limits (like 1% of 1000 top richest people must not be above 1% of the nation’s collective sequesterable wealth) to wealth sequestration NO MORE THAN the richest being 100 times the poorest, are still needed. What 20 million in limits does is make 50 times a 401K a maximum norm. Who among the 99 people of a population of 100 wants to tolerate a single person being worth 15 million times more than their 401K – when they are only worth 401K? Simple math and facts that cannot be ignored. The fat cats are still too fat, the banks and state apparatus will not lend to the 99% and as of now the 161 (or lets say 50,000) richest hold probably 15 million times the poorest collectively! Then read the below pro1% schmooze article . . .http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-20/poverty-inequality-aren-t-as-bad-as-you-think-view.html

When everyone is worth 20 million the remainder can go to USA’s favourite groups of 3rd world nations of choice for ETHICAL expansion of influence. Socialist limits on Capitalism! 20 million wealth limits on everyone. And just look at the NLP in the title of the article . . . Poverty and Inequality ARE ALWAYS BAD. Saying *Not as bad as ‘you’ think’* is apologism for the plutocracy if anything. Shame on Bloomberg! People are dying and getting thrown out of their homes and the 1% gets a ‘not so bad’ article to mock the 99% with?

Mindboggling numbers of the richest. Redistribute already. Millions of Americans do not have access to healthcare, to education, to food and shelter even. Selfish plutocrats sequestering wealth forget that without the ‘unwashed masses’ of low wealth citizens or ‘chattering classes’ of mid wealth citizens, and the would-be plutocrat seeming lessers of the ‘high wealth of ‘a acceptable handful of millions’ BUT STILL working’ classes, the true plutocrat would have NO SOCIETY to look good for or nation to be part of! Obviously in the best interest of the plutocrat to ensure that healthcare, education, food and shelter are a given, so that USA will not end up being a puppet of creditor nations!

It’s not just his giant income or the low tax rates he pays on it. And it’s not just the videotape of him berating almost half of America, or his endless gaffes, or his regressive budget policies.

It’s something that unites all of this, and connects it to the biggest underlying problem America faces — the unprecedented concentration of wealth and power at the very top that’s undermining our economy and destroying our democracy.

Romney just released his 2011 tax returns, showing he paid $1.9 million in taxes on more than $13 million of income last year — for an effective tax rate of 14.1 percent. (He released his 2010 return in January, showing he paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent.)

American has had hugely wealthy presidents before — think of Teddy Roosevelt and his distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt; or John F. Kennedy, beneficiary of father Joe’s fortune.

But here’s the difference. These men were champions of the working class and the poor, and were considered traitors to their own class. Teddy Roosevelt railed against the “malefactors of great wealth,” and he busted up the oil and railroad trusts.

FDR thundered against the “economic royalists,” raised taxes on the wealthy, and gave average working people the right to form unions — along with Social Security, unemployment insurance, a minimum wage, and a 40-hour workweek.

But Mitt Romney is not a traitor to his class. He is a sponsor of his class. He wants to cut their taxes by $3.7 trillion over the next decade, and hasn’t even specified what “loopholes” he’d close to make up for this gigantic giveaway.

And he wants to cut benefits that almost everyone else relies on — Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, food stamps, unemployment insurance, and housing assistance.

He’s even a warrior for his class, telling his wealthy followers his job isn’t to worry about the “47 percent” of Americans who won’t vote for him, whom he calls “victims” and he berates for not paying federal incomes taxes and taking federal handouts.

(He mangles these facts, of course. Almost all working Americans pay federal taxes — and the federal taxes that have been rising fastest for most people are Social Security payroll taxes, which aren’t collected on a penny of income over $110,100. Moreover, most of the “47 percent” whom he accuses of taking handouts are on Medicare or Social Security — the biggest “entitlement” programs — which, not incidentally, they paid into during their working lives.)

Money means power. Concentrated wealth at the top means extraordinary power at the top. The reason Romney pays a rate of only 14 percent on $13 million of income in 2011 — a lower rate than many in the middle class — is because he exploits a loophole that allows private equity managers to treat their income as capital gains, taxed at only 15 percent.

And that loophole exists solely because private equity and hedge fund managers have so much political clout — as a result of their huge fortunes and the money they’ve donated to political candidates — that neither party will remove it.

In other words, everything America is learning about Mitt Romney — his tax returns, his years at Bain Capital, the video of his speech to high-end donors in which he belittles half of America, his gaffes, the budget policies he promotes — repeat and reenforce the same underlying reality.

So much wealth and power have accumulated at the top of America that our economy and our democracy are seriously threatened. Romney not only represents this problem. He is the living embodiment of it.

http://robertreich.org/
Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley, was Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration. Time Magazine named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the last century. He has written (more…)

ARTICLE 4

Thoughts on the 1982 Pontiac Trans Am

The third-generation Pontiac Firebird was a stunner. Its sleek lines made the old 1970–1981 second-gen ‘Bird look like a relic. The shape set a new standard for aerodynamics. The bodywork, especially in Trans Am guise, was tasteful and clean. When it debuted, everyone forgot about the poorly performing 1980–1981 Turbo Trans Ams. The ’82 even got a starring role in Knight Rider as KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), seen here.

Well, a fresh redesign with cutting-edge aero doesn’t necessarily equate to performance under the hood. In fact, for 1982 the Firebird’s standard engine was a 2.5-liter 90-hp four-cylinder. That’s right, a four-cylinder engine in a Firebird. Yes, there was a V-8 option. But if you selected the four-speed manual, that 5.0-liter Chevrolet-sourced V-8 pumped out just 145 horses. The “Cross-Fire Injected” 5.0-liter V-8 was available with an automatic only, and though it was torque-rich, this motor didn’t produce more than 165 hp.

The bright spot was just two short years away. By 1984, a 190-hp 5.0-liter HO motor replaced that Cross-Fire Injected engine.

No. 145 horses could pull a 100 wagon train (actually single persons have pulled the same or Airbuses), a Pontiac TA could only pull the engine car of a train alone. This is dishonest and a lie, a gross exaggeration about the number of horses the car is worth for value of money. The Trans Am is worth 3 to 6 horses at most, and is severely overpriced and marketed as up to 50 times as many horses that so many other cars of the day cars do not have. How many cars can what one spends on a Trans Am buy? Trans Ams DO NOT have 145 horses worth of power, though they cost 145 or more horses . . . Overpriced and inefficient compared to ACTUAL horses (which can be eaten and preserved in event of disaster). The BMW Z3 below is another example of LIES, being worth no more than 3 horses at most.

BMW Z3 (E36/4) (1996–2002)

Pierce Brosnan was far from the best James Bond, and the Z3 he drove in GoldenEye, BMW’s first modern mass-market roadster, was anything but the Bavarian carmaker’s most memorable agent. Grossly underpowered from the get-go, the 138-hp, 1.9-liter four-cylinder was quickly substituted for a 2.8-liter straight six. Still, its sub-200-horse numbers weren’t anything to get excited about, and the car’s wallowy handling couldn’t match BMW’s sharp sedans. Nevertheless, the Z3 sold quite well, and perhaps that’s part of the problem—a car first marketed as a spy’s ride sold to many drivers too tall or broad to pull off the look. A rare coupe version, known by those at the company as “the shoe,” enjoyed a cult-like following because the car’s stiffer structure noticeably improved the handling. But it wasn’t until the next two generations of Z4 that BMW really left the roadster segment shaken and stirred.

Try the below for a list of horrendously unfashionable and aesthetically conventional vehicles EVER. The mainstream media ‘Popular Mechanics’ site has lost all sense of proportion here probably are colluding with the car companies who fund them to fracture buyers’ fashion senses and who knows promote UGLINESS as beautiful (making impossible for regular people to tell the difference between beautiful and ugly people to the media oligarchs’ nepotistic benefit), these cars have neither attitude nor lines of vehicles designed 20 years back . . .

The 2012 Ferrari FF can haul 450 litres of luggage with the rear seats up, 800 litres with the seats folded down. How much can a clydesdale horse pull? Three times it’s own weight, Which is around 2000-2400 lbs. The max. load of the Ferrari California is 1,025 lbs. So guess what? The fact of the matter is that the Ferrari FF does not even have a single or 1 ‘horsepower’. 100s of horses under the hood is a blatant marketing lie when barely 0.5 horses is more accurate.

Why should any vehicle cost as much as a Ferrari when a horse costs 1000s of times less but pulls 3 times as much, and when coupled with ‘changes’ of horses (that could be housed in the ‘corral’ boot while the horses ‘on shift’ run), could in fact run as far and fast as a Ferrari WITHOUT constant and pollutive, also expensive fuel but with regular feed instead. Stores of feed and water if carried as well makes for indefinite travel WITHOUT fuel costs.

The only issue is speed which in either case is always dangerous and in dense conditions makes the speed of a Ferrari quite useless and unnecessary. As for aesthetics and design (or the need to hide horses from sight), a larger version of the car will be a necessity that the kiddies and joyriders will not want but compared against the pollution issues the necessity not optional, the world is being destroyed by pollution . . . also a car where standing is possible should be nicer than always being seated? Include a bar and a kitchen or toilet as well using that space. Or an indoor pool/jacuzzi. See below pic for the green solution :

Need for light weight materials (could still have a protective bar of heavy rubber for prevention of accidents etc.) will be necessary.

So vote for the 99% who won’t allow the DMV to place controls that make no sense on what car one can or cannot drive. In fact, flying cars or at least VTOL cars should be the norm by now after near 200 years of land based vehicles since the 1800s. The government and policy regulators are forcing people to use tolled roads if anything. Fly a VTOL or heli and land that in your balcony, drop the airline industry and fly DIRECT to the country of your choice ! Heck why do we even need passports which we need to pay for at all to begin with even, especially if we are not criminals? Only criminals need passports, everyone else should be travelling AND migrating freely.

Altercations over polite behavior on public transportation offer a window on a changing society, reports Tang Yue.

If you’re riding the bus or subway and see a pregnant woman, an elderly person or young child standing up in front of you, you might want to think seriously about offering them your seat.

If you don’t, you may discover that the consequences are serious, given that a number of altercations have happened recently and some have even ended in violence.

Don’t take seat disputes sitting down

On Aug 23, a young man on a bus in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, did not give up his seat to a pregnant woman. As a result, he was given five sharp slaps across the head by the woman’s disgruntled husband, despite the fact that he wasn’t occupying any of the seats usually reserved for the elderly and infirm, and, moreover, had a crippled leg.

Three days after that incident, a woman slapped a man on a bus in Jinan, Shandong province, after he failed to respond to a public announcement asking seated passengers to consider other travelers. Instead of offering his seat to the woman’s daughter, aged around 6 years old, the man simply turned his back on them. Enraged, the mother struck him repeatedly and shouted, “I am fulfilling your mother’s obligation to educate you.”

The aggression hasn’t only affected men. Media reports of aggressive behavior include that of an elderly man in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, who sat on a young woman’s lap after she refused his request to give up her seat. A similar incident is reported to have happened in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Public opinion suggests that, while those who doggedly refused to offer up their seat weren’t acting from noble instincts, the actions of those who beat them were antisocial and unnecessarily violent.

So what makes people feel justified about the use of force against those who fail to comply with their wishes?

As China undergoes rapid urbanization, people who have grown up in an “acquaintance society”, one where everyone knows everyone else in the neighborhood, face challenges from the increasing need for daily interaction with strangers, according to Yang Yiyin, director of the social psychology research office at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing.

“In traditional Chinese society, where people are tied by family and blood relationships, emotions and morals, rather than reason and law, guide people’s behavior,” said Xiao Qunzhong, professor of ethics at Renmin University of China.

As a result, people tend to automatically, but mistakenly, use their sense of moral superiority to legitimize their behavior, including the use of verbal and physical violence.

However, while the traditional mindset remains, tragedies such as the case of Xiao Yueyue a 2-year-old girl who died after being ignored by 18 passers-by as she lay in the street in Foshan, Guangdong province after she had been hit by a car and then run over twice more also indicate a value-system in flux as the country moves through a period of rapid social transformation, said Xiao.

“Civil society in China is not as developed as in the West. People are still learning how to respect the fundamental rights of others and the bottom line for behavior,” he said.

Stranger society

To deal with other passengers on a bus, where people come and go in a very short time and very limited space, serves as a very good test of social attitudes. It’s one many people fail, noted Yang Yiyin of the CASS.

“You will always see female colleagues or friends trying very hard to persuade each other to take the only seat, even if there are only a couple of stops to go,” said Yang, 57. “But they still don’t know how to negotiate with strangers.

“That helps to explain why those with a sense of moral superiority just skip the discussion process and begin dictating to strangers, sometimes in a very rude manner.”

People in the West have more experience in dealing with everyday public life and are better at expressing their needs and opinions, be it through lectures, negotiation or debate, she noted.

Zheng Liudi, a 29-year-old who rides the subway to work in Shanghai, knows exactly what Yang means. Zheng said most people are pleasant when help is offered. However, she said that on occasion, usually just as she was about to offer her seat to someone else, she has noticed a “You owe me” look in the eyes of seniors or mothers with young children. “I change my mind, then. I just dislike their attitude,” she said.

She recalled that on one occasion, a woman in her 50s kicked her shoes from time to time. “I think she did it on purpose, to hint that she wanted the seat. But there was no way I would offer it to her under those circumstances,” said Zheng.

“These extreme examples of wrangling over a seat also reflect a general feeling of anxiety and irritability,” according to Yang.

Individual personality, values and the prevalent mood at the time of an incident all contribute to people’s behavior. The background socially, however, is that many people are highly stressed and restless, and thus tend to appear aggressive on such occasions, she said.

“The prevailing mood in China now is being competitive every single second and not miss a single opportunity to gain something, anything. Sometimes, people just use incidents such as these as an outlet for suppressed anger,” she explained.

Just too crowded

Regular users of public transportation might not know much about social theory; but they certainly feel the social reality during rush hours in the mega-cities and fully realize that a seat on a crowded bus or train is a precious commodity.

Every working day at 6:30 am, Jiang Xin, a 26-year-old auditor in Beijing, gets on the bus at the first stop on the route. Her journey takes roughly 90 minutes.

“At first, I used to sit down as soon as I got on the bus, just near the ticket seller. But I found I had to give up my seat several times on each journey and felt exhausted when I arrived at my office. So I changed seats and now sit in the corner instead,” she said.

“On the weekend, I always offer my seat to people if they need it, but during the working week I really need that seat in the corner so I can take a nap.”

Qin Jianhua is not as lucky. The 31-year-old works in Beijing, but bought an apartment in Yanjiao, Hebei province, in 2009. His daily commute to work takes two hours door to door, including one hour on the bus, a 10-minute walk and another 50 minutes on the subway.

The bus is always crowded, so it requires an enormous effort just to get on and there are always four or five passengers always standing crammed on a single step by the door. People always swear loudly if they can’t squeeze on and some even block the road to stop the bus if they can’t gain access, he said.

“When I’m on a comfortable bus, I give up my seat if others need it. But it’s always so crowded and smelly on the bus I take to work. Everyone is very sleepy, almost collapsing, so giving up your seat would be the last thing you’d want to do,” said Qin. The bus trip got old quickly, so Qin now lives in a rented apartment near his office during the working week and only goes home on the weekend.

The experience has given him a fresh insight into the issue: “Don’t judge someone until you have been in his shoes. That person may be aggressive on the bus, but may also behave politely in a different environment,” he said. “Also, standards seem to vary. I’ve seen some people happily and politely give up their seats to seniors, but the same people acted totally differently to a migrant worker. So, how do you rate them?” he asked.

Yang Wanli and He Na contributed to the story.

Contact the reporter at tangyue@chinadaily.com.cn

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Low density is dignity but also a vulnerability. And lower classes among Chinese regardless of wealth level who think in this manner are in that case unsuited to high density living. They just don’t know this fact. A people tied by family and blood relationships, emotions and morals, cannot exist in high density conditions without basis on reason and law. Thus best that Chinese with the village mentality of entitlement to the property of others physical or spiritual, stick to low density venues or learn modern civility.

If anyone touched another in the westernized model, they’d be assaulted back, or if civilised would find themselves in a lawsuit. This is why the Chinese not familiar with modern society need to attend a training course or mix with high density familiar people, before moving out from the villages and vice verse for the situation reversed. Culture shock. And don’t even go near discussions on toilet habits and LGBT activity unless particularly prepared for the fight of your life . . . that dildo will be murder to your neighbour and if the laws are anti-LGBT or based on fundo policy, then it’s back to the stone ages. This is also why elderly are neglected in some places and times to come, as society ‘densifies’ the lower density types will be outnumbered and die off. Not the best scenario but preservation of low density and high density and transition education between both must be thought through by migrants to avoid problems.

Russia’s anti-corruption drive should be boosted by introducing constant video surveillance on officials, limiting their maximum term of service and banning personal meetings with citizens, the leader of the Liberal Democrats said.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky was speaking at the “Open Tribune” meeting, dedicated to future measures to rein in corruption. The politician suggested a small leniency in the planned anti-corruption bill, saying that at the first stage it must be applied only to a narrow circle of officials, not to them all, as there are about 5 million of them in Russia.

He added that the narrowing of the group that falls under control would allow the control to become stricter.

Among the most urgent measures the MP implied that the maximum term of stay in any official post should be limited to 10 years. Another call was to limit the civil servants’ communication with the population to email or conventional mail, as ruling out personal contact would seriously hamper bribery on both sides.

Besides, Zhirinovsky suggested that video surveillance be conducted in official’s offices and cars, as well as constant monitoring of all their electronic communications.

As a final measure, Zhirinovsky said that the government should introduce a total ban on business people assuming posts in state structures or state-owned companies. He did not specify if this should apply to working entrepreneurs or to all those who have previously tried their hands at business.

Sergey Mironov, the leader of another opposition party – Fair Russia – reminded of his party’s previous initiative to introduce confiscation of all property from those convicted of corruption along with the property of their family members. In this connection he also suggested broadening the definition of close relatives to include parents, children, siblings, spouses and grandparents.

The Communist Party suggested that any member of parliament could be checked for business dealings at any time and without an official complaint from the third party. The Liberal Democrats seconded the move.

Accusations of business dealings have recently become a real weapon in Russian politics. Earlier this month, the State Duma voted to deprive a Fair Russia MP of his seat over allegations he was continuing to operate companies in Bulgaria.

Before the vote to oust him took place, MP Gennady Gudkov published documents that allegedly testified to the fact that many other MPs were doing the same thing, including the members of the ruling party, United Russia.

On Thursday the special commission announced that they checked reports on five United Russia MPs and four of them were cleared of charges of running a business while working in the lower house. However, the commission decided to continue the probe into one MPs case and invited him for personal consultations.

Commentator Comments :

Iron curtains WITHIN Iron curtains. So very KGB in a respectable-fear/awe inspiring ‘Matryoshka doll’ manner that will make people, especially 99% types worldwide love Russianness. Soviet Union again anyone? Bring back a limited form of Communism, Capitalist limits of 20 million for wealth sequestration!

@Crusader148 September 20, 2012, 20:03

Zhirinovsky is a total nut-job, but camera surveillance of officials makes perfect sense. Anything that curbs corruption is welcome.

@Count Cash September 20, 2012, 19:44

Excellent! Now we are starting to get the simple concept across, it is the state that must be monitored by the citizen. This is the game changer, the conceptual innovation that I have wanted here. Then add the icing on the cake with separation of wealth and civil service and politics, natural cycling in and out of civil servants (no jobs for life for many) plus big risks for corruption and we are then getting the concepts correct. HOWEVER, the devil is in the detail, and we can absolutely make a mess going too quickly without thinking through all the proposals. When we appreciate this, to go step by step in phases, then we get the next concept right, and that is wide consultation, wider than the Duma, wider than the systematic opposition, we must open this debate to all including the ‘opposition’ and all stakeholders, to put real lean flesh on the concepts. We are starting to get the compass working, so who has the guts to set the course and work the ropes! Or who has the laziness to just sit along for the ride, or worse just moan they can’t be captain to massage their egos on the voyage!

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

The KGB juniors should get lots of training here before being posted overseas to spy on foreign countries. More Russianness? Paranoia attacks for the non-Commie/Red governments not allied to Russia anyone? Some background (not sure if accurate on Vladimir Zhirinovsky) follows below . . .

Who was Vladimir Zhirinovsky? – TalmudTimmy at 2009-05-02 18:52 CET:Vladimir Volfovich Eidelstein was a crypto-Jew who aided the Communist massacre machine in the Soviet Union which murdered millions upon millions of people.(He was the colonel of the Russian Army, founder and the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Vice-Chairman of the State Duma, and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Despite its name, the LDPR is often described as an ultra-nationalist party) – WikipediaSo why was Zhirinovsky rallying Russians, during the reign of red terror, with mild anti-semitic slogans? He was rounding up dissent, the resisters, the ones who know who was really in control of Sovietism (Bolshevism). By shepherding and gaining the trust of the resistance, he was able to help lead and direct them, ultimately to their own demise like sheep to the slaughter. By rounding up resistance to the Jewish Bolsheviks, Soviet over a once Christian nation, was strengthened.Now who do we know of today who demonstrates similar characteristics? Guys like Alex Jones and others in the so called “Truth Movement.” Jones, will at times, mildly criticize Israel in a similar way to Zhirinovsky. Is Jones gaining the trust of disseneters so that the New World Order resistance can be more easily rounded up? Time will tell. We do know that Alex Jones is a Zionist in one form or another, and his wife Violet and children are Jewish.

Crypto-Judaism in the USSR was able to penetrate every faction of government and every “people’s” movement so as to lead both opposing sides of the conflict. Crypto-Jewry was able to control and direct the opposition to a problem they created. Now why would the American-based “truth” movement be any less controlled and directed by the decendants of the Bolsheviks and their Judaic banking swindle?

Jones has several Jews working with him in studio and on his many documentaries, which always leave the Zionist question out, and instead, offer mysterious and ultimately lower-level groups like the Bilderbergers as the target of dissent. Jason Bermas, the new host of the infowarrior (an Alex Jones created show) mocks and says that anti-Judaics should kill themselves. Alex Jones’ best friend Joe Rogan is a Jewish comedian. Alex’s wife Violet (Kelly) is Jewish along with their two children, one who is named Einstein. According to other sources, the producers of Alex Jones’ recent film “The Obama Deception,” are Jewish. There are several examples from live shows, where Alex fiddles for the Jews and denies the Zionists. -TT

The highly-trained female agents from Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, leave their male compatriots in the dust. Five agents spoke about their “movie-style” lives for the first time, revealing a world dominated by deadly efficient femmes fatales.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

First Iran, then Israel. So men don’t fight anymore? Perhaps Israel and Iran had better look through the Talmud and the Quran again and take a leaf from Xians who at least have Stepford wives in a natural patrilineal society with MASCULINE characteristics. No sense of chivalry for the men of both these nations. No sense of femininity for the women of both these nations. Well that shows that countries ruled by the heart and emotions wind up under women. Or in China’s case by Dowagers unaware of what goes on outside the Palace. Men are needed if a country is to be viable. God would never approve of women going to war and if the entire system if skewed politically towards women as well, Israel will cease to exist even without taking on Iran.

Some parts of society (women and children – think child soldiers – are just off limits and if no REAL MEN draw the lines and limits, the rest of the world knows how to say – Your mom wears combat boots (well this is tolerable when a country is at war but a slide towards barbarism overall if entire populaces are militarized) . . . and we all know what a society or nation is worth when class and social ‘niceties’ (actually a sense of morality) like refusing to abet recruitment of child soldiers, or less so, women soldiers, the sense of structure goes out the window. The nation gets one morass of sexless, gender insensitive clones . . . ). Some parts of the world are degenerating quite quickly civilisationally . . . bunch of fetish addled fundos posing as being battle ready. Women’s rights aren’t even properly affirmed in Iran and Israel, and now they want to send women to war? Greeeeaat, next the feminazis will become pedonazis and will start promoting ‘child soldiers’ as well . . .

If I were either Mossad or CIA, I’d watch out for the NLP factor, synchronicity, women’s ‘hive minds’ and the copycat effect. Through Islam and god cop bad cop tactics (possibly Sunni/Shiite for every death on either side caused by either has a will and intent directable – thats why either faction’s leaders don’t care if either factions followers kill themselves), they intend to subvert the men of Israel and USA through spirit and prayer and women. Everytime something is named, or spoken of, a US or Israel official bought over, the ‘West’ and the main competitors for Monotheism in Xianity and Judaism become weaker. Think deeper, this is about cultural domination through mindless solidarity and subversion.

It turns out that China’s been mixing its nuclear missiles in with its conventional ones at the same military bases. Not really, uh, advisable: that makes it really hard for other countries to figure out if a Chinese missile launch is just a conventional one or the beginnings of a nuclear Armageddon. But fret not — while China’s missile mingling may not be very sensible, it’s not going to cause World War III.

In what’s thought to be the first comprehensive, non-governmental report on China’s nuclear warplans, John Lewis, a professor of Chinese politics at Stanford University, reveals that China stores its nuclear and conventional missiles in the same locations. Writing in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Lewis warns that the intermingling could trigger a nuclear launch: once another nation watched a Chinese missile blast off, it might trigger a nuclear retaliation from a confused, panicked Russia or United States. And then, should the Chinese see their nuclear assets targeted and destroyed, they might conceivable launch their surviving nuclear warheads.

Nor is Lewis convinced that China’s military policies are characterized by restraint. “The notion that China only acts in self defense is wrong,” he tells Danger Room. “Their whole war plan is aimed at attacking Taiwan.”

That said, even Lewis thinks China’s missile ambiguity is unlikely to result in a nuclear exchange. (In fact, he emphasizes that the Chinese government actually encouraged him to write his piece — as a gesture of transparency.) And other experts agree that the Chinese missile move is merely stupid, not suicidal.

Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear weapons analyst at the Monterrey Institute of International Studies, says the de facto presumption in the case of a missile launch is that China isn’t going nuclear. The People’s Republic has a declared no-first-use policy; China isn’t going to nuke, say, Japan over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

And James Dobbins, a former U.S. ambassador to a host of conflict zones, thinks the U.S. isn’t buckwild enough to go nuclear over a confusing missile launch. “I don’t believe the U.S. would launch a nuclear strike on warning in response to a Chinese ballistic attack on U.S. or allied targets,” Dobbins tells Danger Room.

So why would China group its nuclear and conventional missiles together? Experts largely agree that the decision was a logistical one and “practical, not rational,” says Monterrey’s Jeffrey Lewis. Another theory: the Chinese think launching a conventional weapon from a nuclear base would prevent a counterattack, since an adversary is unlikely to take the risk of bombing a nuclear weapons base.

There’s also another possibility: a lumbering, dumb bureaucracy keeps the missiles group together out of inertia. The Chinese may make bad missile decisions. But under that theory, at least their reasons for those bad decisions will be familiar to the Pentagon.
Benjamin Plackett

Benjamin Plackett is a freelance science writer and an intern in WIRED’s New York office.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Half baked hawk. Not as simple as sight and shoot. The Chinese do this to keep strategy ambiguous (they WANT to obscure the fact of if a nuke or conventional was fired, though ethically this is not healthy, but in war life or death will be more important, though in peacetime this indeed reflects badly on the Chinese – they still have the ‘cost saving excuse’ if the intent is not the main issue . . . though a wealthy nation whuch China is not exactly despite the un-Communist wealth of the Chinese leadership, which makes such cost saving necessary . . . ), and any other nuisance behaviour on purpose while saving money. Read your Sun Tzu. Lumbering and dumb? Not in the slightest. Their reasons for those ‘bad decisions’ are not even familiar to the Chinese citizens.

In fact Taiwan and China might be good cop/bad copping USA. How does that sound when more and more advanced weapons end up in Taiwanese hands? See? And that is only Fu Manchu 18th century tactics, unlike Suntzu’s Strategy dating from 700bc. If I were USA, I’d leave the region alone and focus on consolidating the Middle East, before USA becomes a pawn of Taiwan that may become the tail that China wags the USA dog with. Try that for Chineseness!

One of the more well-known stories about Sun Tzu, taken from Shiji, illustrates Sun Tzu’s temperament as follows: Before hiring Sun Tzu, the King of Wu tested Sun Tzu’s skills by commanding him to train a harem of 180 concubines into soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, appointing the two concubines most favored by the king as the company commanders. When Sun Tzu first ordered the concubines to face right, they giggled. In response, Sun Tzu said that the general, in this case himself, was responsible for ensuring that soldiers understood the commands given to them. Then, he reiterated the command, and again the concubines giggled. Sun Tzu then ordered the execution of the king’s two favored concubines, to the king’s protests. He explained that if the general’s soldiers understood their commands but did not obey, it was the fault of the officers. Sun Tzu also said that, once a general was appointed, it was his duty to carry out his mission, even if the king protested. After both concubines were killed, new officers were chosen to replace them. Afterwards, both companies performed their maneuvers flawlessly

The Chinese missile move probably is INTENDED to merely ‘look’ stupid or is made to look stupid by some writers, HOPEFULLY suicidal. But is neither. Who knows the Chinese want to bait the USA into building even more hardware that needs to be maintained? Or hope that USA keeps sending more hardware to Taiwan that may be secretly reverse engineered?

As the House of Representatives prepares to conclude its legislative business this week and bolt Washington for a six-week recess ahead of the election Nov. 6, Republicans deflected concerns about Mitt Romney’s campaign today, launching a counterattack against President Obama with a barrage of complaints about the president’s “failure to lead” during the past two years of divided Congress.

Addressing reporters following a conference meeting that featured a speech by GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, House Speaker John Boehner did not directly address videos released on the internet earlier this week that show Romney telling a Florida fundraiser last May that 47 percent of the country’s voting population thinks of themselves as victims and are dependent on the government.

“Listen, this election is about jobs. We’ve said it for 20 months and it hasn’t changed,” Boehner, R-Ohio, began when asked about the videos. “Forty-three consecutive months where our unemployment is above 8 percent, and everybody’s going to try to make this election about everything other than what it is. The American people are asking the question, ‘Where are the jobs,’ and so the focus is on jobs.”

“The president’s economic policies have failed, and the American people know it,” he continued. “Mitt Romney has a background where he’s created jobs, he’s got a background where he understands what government can do to destroy jobs, and he has a plan to put Americans back to work. And that’s what this election’s going to be about.”

Pressed whether he agrees with the sentiment of the GOP presidential nominee’s comments considering his own humble upbringing, Boehner conceded that “both campaigns on both sides” will have moments “that get off the message.”

“Listen, the election is about jobs. It’s not about anything else. I’ve had family members who have lost their jobs in this downturn. Two of my brothers, two of my brother-in-laws. I know what’s happening out there and I know how difficult this economy is,” he said. “The message is let’s stay focused on jobs because that’s what the American people want us to stay focused on.”

Rep. Kevin Brady, the vice chairman of the Joint Economic committee, recalled a recent interview where President Obama gave himself an incomplete grade on his economic leadership.

“I don’t know what curve he was grading himself on, but the truth is, he’s dead last,” Brady said. “This president has failed the economic leadership. It is not an incomplete. It’s an F.”

Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., criticized the president for “either blaming others or avoiding challenging problems that face our nation,” and she recalled bipartisan cooperation that Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan managed during their own presidencies and divided Congress.

“The president is the leader of his party and yet he refuses to do anything about the overwhelming dysfunction of the Democrat-led Senate. He’s too busy blaming us Republicans for the failing economy,” Black said. “Divided government is clearly not an excuse for President Obama’s failure to lead, and in the absence of strong presidential leadership America is struggling. Today more than ever, we need a president who is not only willing but able to lead our country.”

With recent polling in many battleground states showing a boost for Obama, Boehner insisted that the race is “far from over” and pointed to a Gallup poll that showed just a one-point lead for the president.

“Think about this as a card game,” Boehner said. “The president has played his cards. His economy policies have failed, his foreign policy has failed, [and] his energy policy has failed. His cards are played. Mitt Romney has a plan to get our economy back on track.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Be honest.

– economy policies have failed – every President except possibly Clinton had a surplus but even that might have been from turning the graph upside down ‘hordes of terrorists’ situation.
– foreign policy has failed – maybe but no President has even had to deal with a post Iraq and at least China and Russia have not decided to side with Iran instead siding with USA, not a failure, not exactly spectacular but a pass at least
– energy policy has failed – all energy policy based on fossil or nuke are failures. The main failure is not importing Solar Panels at state level COMMIE style to give free power to the people with at ‘bulk prices’ through the Chinese government. Stop importing oil from ‘terrorist countries’ as well.

Last weeks or months of an exam can be ‘crammed’ for though the family members and neighbours can hinder by being noisy or problematic or unconducive to study. Maybe incomplete still stands because ALOT can change in 6 months, like Iraq becomes USA’s focus and Japan gets dropped so that Iran can be dealt with properly with USA making China the ‘Deputy’ Sheriff’ and main military mainstay rather than Japan (actually more like Sheriff of the East’).

These Muslims think people are stupid and believe their lies and disrespect the UN treaties or secular lifestyles, impose Islam justified apartheid, or even LGBT culture. Obama needs to look at the so-called allies, could be that the Sunnites are trying to pull a fast one on USA by drawing USA into the Middle East in Iran. Israel can’t even think straight, but who would be able to, given the way Muslims behave regards the above mentioned areas?

They hope the Chinese will not support us. – Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek

(The Star) – MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has condemned the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) for bringing up an alleged agreement in the 1960s between the party and the Government to limit the number of Chinese independent schools.

“Dong Zong talks about this issue to frighten the Chinese community so they will hate the MCA and Barisan Nasional.

“They hope the Chinese will not support us,” he said.

He said that although MCA was not perfect, it was undeniable that the party was doing its best for Chinese education.

Citing an example, Dr Chua said Malaysia was the only country in the region that had a complete Chinese education system from primary to university level.

He was speaking to reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony for a double-storey building with 12 classrooms at SJK (C) Karas here yesterday.

Also present at the event were Labis MP and Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Deputy Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong and Johor exco member Tan Kok Hong.

Dr Chua said whether or not the agreement existed in the 1960s was not important anymore as it had become history.

“The country needs more trilingual talent to increase its trade volume and the trade volume between Malaysia and countries that use Chinese as their main language is about 20% of the total.

“That’s why we need to train more people to have good English, Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin,” he said.

“Today, Malaysia has a good relationship with China and the trade volume between the two countries has reached US$100bil (RM318bil),” he added.

On another matter, Dr Chua said Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had failed to answer if Pakatan Rakyat was going to build more Chinese primary schools, Chinese independent schools, institutionalise allocations for Chinese schools and recognise the Unified Examination Certificate should Pakatan take over Putrajaya.

“I have been waiting for the answer for the past two weeks,” he said. Dr Chua said Dong Zong should get the answer for the sake of Chinese education.

;could provide REAL organic independent candidates (possibly funded by most righteous businessmen – M.R.B.) from the powerful and experienced YET non-plutocratic teachers of DJZ’s ranks to displace MCA’s term limitless lapdogs. I’d vote for a DJZ candidate ANY DAY over MCA (lapdog, plutocrat) or even DAP (nepotistic abusive, undemocratic like Singapore). DJZ how about fielding candidates from retired teachers IN EVERY MCA and even EVERY DAP constituency with clear intent to leave after 2 terms and address the immense collusion by both MCA and DAP sacrificing ending apartheid and the entire minority community for a mere few undemocratic political careerists to parasite off MP and Assemblyman salaries and extreme plutocrat businessmen? Ethics is lacking in MCA and DAP, DJZ needs to do some TEACHING – grassroots style!

Any other plutocrats in BN you cowards! Billions worth enough to hire armies of thugs and guards and not a word against apartheid? Against a backdrop of homelands 100s of times larger and more powerful than the wrong minded racists to be taken as lapdogs by a handful of racists? Undemocratic and term limitless but no attempt to end apartheid? Let DJZ take over ALL Chinese majority constituencies! MCA lapdogs and DAP careerist undemocratic nepotists have had their chance and FAILED . . . lead 3rd Force, DJZ, perhaps with Tunku Aziz which DAP idiotically sacked, might lead the minorities to grant the above 3 items with DJZ . . .

(The Malaysian Insider) – MCA will never agree to any implementation of hudud for non-Muslims, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has said.

The MCA president was responding to a Johor Umno state assemblyman’s recent proposal that the Islamic penal law be implemented to cover all residents in the state.

“The Johor Umno Adun must have run out of ideas and out of his mind 2 propose hudud in Johor including non-Muslims. MCA will definitely object it,” Dr Chua said on micro-blogging site Twitter last night.

Umno’s Kemelah state assemblyman Ayub Rahmat was quoted by online news portal Malaysiakini as saying he wished to see Johor to become the first state to implement “true hudud law”, which he claimed would differ from PAS’s version.

Ayub said his version of hudud law would be non-discriminatory as the adherents of all religions would be subjected to it in Johor.

“The Syariah Criminal Code (II) 1993 State of Kelantan does not reflect the true requirements of Islam. It creates discrimination in terms of execution (among Muslims and non-Muslims),” Ayub had said.

The Umno assemblyman, who made the proposal on the June 20 sitting of the Johor state assembly, said his proposal would help non-Muslims understand the implementation of hudud law, while accusing PAS of having failed to do so.

Hudud is a contentious issue in multicultural and multireligious Malaysia. It is often used as fodder by political parties either to engender support or attack ideological opponents.

So divisive is the topic that it even pits close allies against one another.

Within the Pakatan Rakyat opposition pact, PAS leaders have publicly stated their support for the implementation of such laws, while the DAP has argued that it went against the spirit of the Federal Constitution.

…
written by Voice of Reason, July 02, 2012 21:01:35
It was only a matter of time when certain educated Malays were going to ask “What makes you so special that you get to escape from hudud and we have no choice but to suffer?” and demands it be implemented on everyone or no one..

…
written by j lee, July 02, 2012 19:25:59
Surely that can be challenged, right up to the International Courts of Justice, if need be. This is just and ignorant’s view, just ignore him. Unless it is a plan to create a non-issue so that MCA can then be seen like a champion of the people.

…

written by Bean, July 02, 2012 17:02:59
If they implement hudud for all races in Johore, BN sure to lose. The chinese girls like to wear hot pants, mini skirts, have very short hair and men like to go to pub to drink. Chinese girls will not wear the tudung. What about eating pork? Even if BN will to win, the chinese will start migrating to other states, and the economy of Johore will decline.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

See the above sandiwara and no mention of END OF APARTHEID? Read below and understand that they have the mandate but will not use the mandate to end apartheid :

Troll Jousting is the act of retorting comments on blogs that have been placed by trolls, or paid commentators who place comments to support a particular vested interest. The Troll Jouster places comments that show the falseness of the Troll

Wow nice Troll Jousting dude, you really bitch slapped that Troll.

Yeah, thanks eh brah! I couldn’t believe that Pro Nuke Troll was actually saying that radiation can be beneficial to your health. I had to slap ’em back in case some innocent bystander saw that Troll comment and believed it.

Well, good work dude, keep up the Troll jousting on that blog, and remember, there are NO innocent bystanders.

BN is unvotable and now stages ‘Troll Jousting’ drama to misdirect from the BUMIPUTRA APARTHEID ISSUE so that UMNO and MCA and even MIC or whatever member party gets to continue parasiting off the Rakyat.

The failure by police to immediately arrest Perkasa members involved in violence not just against members of the public and reporters but also make direct threats against my personal safety has only confirmed fears that Perkasa can do no wrong because they are supported by UMNO and BN.

Police should review their hands-off approach towards Perkasa to avoid public perception that they condone the violent tactics by Perkasa to intimidate PR leaders.

Yesterday’s incident in Teluk Bahang market, where Perkasa members were allowed to conduct a demonstration and throw anti-Lim Guan Eng posters close to me, only shows that whilst there was police presence the police just stood by and watched.

The inaction by the police probably emboldened a Perkasa member to suddenly charge up behind me and succeeded in brushing hard against me. Even though the Perkasa member had brushed hard against me, I escaped injury.

But if not for a PR local leader bravely dragging the Perkasa member away, I could have been injured. Dragging the Perkasa member away from threatening my safety should have been the duty and responsibility of the police, not PR local leaders.

No arrests – why?

The failure of the police to offer adequate protection was followed by the failure of the police to immediately arrest the Perkasa member involved. Just imagine how harsh police reaction would have been if this had involved the Prime Minister and not the Chinese PR Chief Minister.

This unfortunate incident had happened even though the Speaker of the Penang State Assembly, Dato Abdul Halim bin Hussain had informed police of the demonstration by Perkasa and ask for adequate protection and stern action.

However despite a record of serial violence against the public, reporters and even PR leaders by Perkasa, Perkasa can still behave in a violent manner without fear of punishment.

Despite recording the second highest reduction in crime index as at May 2012(a reduction of 23%), police have been under scrutiny in Penang due to several high profile crime incidents in Penang in the heritage, tourist and some housing areas.

The failure to even adequately protect the Chief Minister will not lend public confidence in the ability of the police to ensure public safety when they can not act quickly against those who threaten the safety of the Chief Minister.

Lim Guan Eng is the Penang Chief Minister and DAP sec-gen (Brought to you by Carls Jr.)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Politicians who fail to keep election promises have already assassinated themselves politically. Just baiting for the physical assassination when they keep pretending campaign promises were kept and abusing by-laws that should be amended but do not. The Rakyat will move on to politicians that can keep their word and not miss those who committed political suicide by failing to keep election promises. The dirty work of physical assassination is but an after thought, like failed beneficiaries of nepotism that destroy democracy and put down the general public, refuse to amend laws and claim credit for the good works of others by being self serving parrots. Lets hope PERKASA moves faster so that the next generation of 2 term politicians have space to move into politics. take out the nepotistic political blocs PERKASA, and be sure to know that BN’s own nepotists and failed apartheid politicians will also suffer the same fate as ‘refuse to amend law’, ‘become CM without quorum’, ‘lie about declaring MP asset’, ‘fail to keep promise for local election’, etc.. trash politician here.

2 terms and nothing done, means no longer viable! And on the back of quorumless nepotism! GTFO of the Dewan! And at least in this case, cheers for PERKASA! Maybe Lim Guan Eng is expressing a subconscious desire to have a dramatic end, or more likely perhaps is just indulging in more ‘Funeral Demogoguery’ AGAIN, where 750K requests for funerals failed and were met with sh1t cakes on the trail of failed campaign promises . . .

ARTICLE 4

Polls delay or not, Najib is ‘in a mess’ – Monday, 02 July 2012 19:43

PAS Murshidul Am Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has described the delay in general election as a morale booster for Pakatan Rakyat.

Saying he was not sure the reason behind the continued reluctance by prime minister Najib Razak (left) to dissolve the parliament, Nik Aziz said the UMNO president was “in a mess”.

“One thing we are sure is that Najib is in a mess,” he said, adding that Najib’s fear could be due to growing opposition strength in UMNO bastion Johor as was seen during PAS’s Green Rally to Putrajaya in the state last Friday.

“In Johor, we have never witnessed before so many people. This proves awareness among people there and the existence of a wave of change,” added the Kelantan Menteri Besar.

PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar meanwhile reminded Najib that the five-year mandate given to Barisan Nasional at the Federal level was under his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

As such, Mahfuz said it was wrong to suggest that Najib was ‘honouring’ the mandate from the people by going for a full term.

Najib had earlier argued that holding snap elections was “shortening the period given by the people” to BN.

“For us, what is important is to show our ability to continue to champion the people,” Najib said.

In an about-turn, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had advised Najib to hold polls after the fasting month, has agreed to the delay.

Prior to this, Najib had hinted that the elections could be called during the Hajj season, when some 30,000 Malaysians on their pilgrimage to Makkah could not vote.

;and PAS because of Hudud (Why the advocacy of irrevocable limb hacking violence for the immatured, impulsive or poor, Tok Guru??? Those limbs will not grow back when those punished by Hudud grow up . . . ) stance, PKR because of nepotism and clique politics, DAP for nepotism and Singaporean term limitless ‘Junta-mindedness’ will be ‘in a mess’.PM Najib, will BN not use that mandate to grant the above? 3rd Force ready to put down these 2 dinosaur coalitions otherwise? BN will always be able to use that mandate (currently not using and angering the voters immensely, with the occasional death fueling more flames to never vote for BN again . . . ) to grant the above 3 items as a final ditch defense to ensure a BN win, so don’t say BN is in a mess, BN can yet survive albeit only by the above 3 items.ARTICLE 5

Jenna Jameson Sued : Give Our Maserati Back!!! Exclusive

Jenna Jameson is currently driving around in a stolen Maserati — this according to the company that leased it to her … and now, it’s suing to get the car back.

Maserati Financial Services filed the lawsuit against Jenna in Orange County Superior Court, claiming it leased a Maserati Quattroporte S to the porn legend back in 2010 for $2,299 a month — but Jenna stopped paying in January.

MFS says it’s been trying to repossess the car to no avail — so now it’s going after Jenna in court, demanding she return the vehicle ASAP … AND pay $107,000 in damages.

Thats around RM7000 a month or RM233 a day (USD$70 therabouts – keep in mind US citizens earn USD$ . . . so Malaysia should also be RM70) for a supercar. Consider in Malaysia where a mid-tier car not even a fraction of the value of a Maserati (not even a low end luxury vehicle) rents at 100-500 a day (with low end luxury or sports vehicles up to 1000 a day much less RM7000 for 1 month) and understand that Malaysia is a RIP-OFF country compounded by the crony favouring Vehicular-AP system and near 300% taxes on ALL vehicles. The smallest vehicles in Malaysia are near 15K USD, while in USA that can get you a medium sized vehicle. In India the prices are about HALF of the above.

So any MP that will not REMOVE Vehicular AP or lower import taxes to 10 times less that what currently is in Malaysia DOES NOT deserve to be voted. Ask your MP if they will lower those import duties and road tax. If they seem unsure or uncertain or do not comment, understand that the MP is unvotable and profiteering off the collusion with vehicle companies. Meanwhile pornstars like Jenna get to enjoy fabulous rental prices in USA, a country that is equally as bankrupt as Malaysia! Too damn high!

See response to article 4 on below link for a look at what our TERM LIMITLESS nepotist and racist satrap politicians have been up to :

A Bentley Mulsanne will cost USD 285,000 (RM 962,588) when it arrives on U.S. shores next year. By the time it reaches Malaysia, the price tag would balloon to RM 3.17 million, according to the 329 percent of duties imposed on a car in this category. Chauffer courses in the USA range from USD$99, in Malaysia such courses can easily begin at USD$300. And guess who is at fault? The 222 MPs (which the idiot voter keep voting that also impose crony benefiting Vehicular-AP on top of that) who refuse to lower tax duties or even bother to ABOLISH road taxes (USA has no road tax, though has road toll concessionaires in some money grubbing states . . . ) :

@shawn says:

January 19th, 2010 at 12:30 pm

I know this is old but I can’t resist from posting this. Import Cars = Sells for a much higher price than overseas (yes even after conversion it is more than 2:1 difference)

Gas Price = Producers My Ass
Toll = Overkill
Road Tax = Overkill

Other countries like USA do not have road tax. The price of gas covers road tax. If you have no idea about how the system works in other countries dont blog about it. Malaysia taxes for import cars, road use and fuel. Other country chooses 1 out of the 3 or maximum 2 out of the 3 charge. Malaysia has all 3 + an impossible amount of tax + horrible road conditions. If you have not been overseas and lived there and/or researched their terms of funding. Don’t blog about it. You’re making urself look stupid. (F— @shawn for snarking about going overseas to live there . . . that is NOT NECESSSARY for ‘research’, but stand for election as a 3rd Force independent candidate @shawn, independent candidates are needed to end this money grubbing farce or colluding plutocrats we call government . . .)

@jo says:

January 27th, 2010 at 11:54 am
you are so right Shawn Bro,,,,Malaysia is taking its own people as guinea pig…..

On top of the abusive tax system which our unvotable MP’s refuse to address, Malaysians are not even allowed to tint their cars for privacy or from the extreme tropical heat, and also not allowed to modify our vehicles which are PRIVATE PROPERTY. So idiot citizens of Malaysia who vote BN or even PR who’s MPs look set to continue APARTHEID or implement hudud, disallow tinting, please run for election as independent 3rd Forcers if you can afford to on the above issues. If 222 independent MPs who decide to abolish Firced Military Conscriptions, Road Tax, Toll Concessionaires AND allow extreme Car Modding (much less merely even tinting), the highways at least would have been freed.

By the second term, the 222 independent MPs would have made Malaysia into the best place in the world to migrate to (abolish road tolls, forced conscriptions, has allodial titles, abolishes eminent domain, end vehicular AP, allows extreme car-modding, . . . so DO NOT VOTE BN (racist and stagnant) or PR (nepotist), and finally remember, kick ALL MPs (even 3rd Forec MPs) out of power after 2 terms! Vote 3rd Force!

(The Malaysian Insider) – Malaysia must overcome corruption and carry out more market-oriented reforms if it is to move up from being a middle-income economy, CIMB Group chief Datuk Seri Nazir Razak and younger brother to the prime minister has told Financial Times (FT).

The youngest son of the country’s second prime minister, Tun Razak Hussein, also told the FT that his eldest brother had “a hell of a task” because “worldwide, no one has really been able to reform from incumbency”.

Nazir’s elder brother and the country’s sixth PM, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has been sprearheading a slew of governmental, economic and social reforms to transform the country, but Malaysia’s top banker seemed to suggest that it was not enough in an interview published in the international business paper today.

“(Corruption) remains a problem and it is something that needs to be combated,” he told FT.

Nazir (picture) told the paper that Malaysia could consider granting an amnesty for those involved in minor corruption, as has been done in Hong Kong and other countries, an idea that the Najib administration has resisted.

“You could argue that when you do that, you will get a lot less resistance from the vested interests, which is always the problem; then say, the past is the past and we all start from scratch. I still believe that’s what is needed,” Nazir was quoted as saying.

He highlighted that there was “still a need to strengthen market forces in general and that is about rolling back government in business, both in terms of bureaucracies but also in terms of its direct involvement.”

Nazir told the paper Putrajaya must push reforms that give more free rein to market forces and roll back government ownership of business through privatisations, such as the public listing of Malaysian palm oil giant Felda Global Ventures Holdings last week, which would also draw in major world business players like Axiata.

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government, which Najib heads, has repeatedly come under fire for its less-than-transparent and lavish spending on government procurement projects in areas ranging from agriculture to defence, resulting in scandals such as the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre that failed to cut the country’s beef imports and the multibillion ringgit spent on buying submarines and naval patrol boats.

Malaysia’s score in Transparency International’s corruption perception index has slipping for the fourth year running; on a 10-point scale, where 10 represents no corruption, Malaysia dropped from 5.1 in 2008 to 4.5 in 2009, 4.4 in 2010 and 4.3 in 2011.

The country’s ranking also fell to 60 out of 183 countries — between Saudi Arabia and Cuba — from 56 out of 178 last year.

Malaysia remained the third-least corrupt nation in Asean after Singapore (9.2) and Brunei (5.2), with Thailand (3.4) and Indonesia (3.0) following in fourth and fifth places respectively.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

True, but NEPOTISM and being a beneficiary of nepotism is part of corruption as well, Mr.Brother of the PM. Then read the below comment :

…
written by uxzee, July 02, 2012 14:25:57
“worldwide, no one has really been able to reform from incumbency”.
========================================

Nazir does not understand what he is talking about and is blindly defending his brother Najib. People like Nazir are the corrupted cronies who sweep all the lucrative mega contracts for his CIMB. Will Nazir or CIMB dare to compete strictly on merits and in an open market ? Then we can really see how incompetent Nazir is. It is really sick to give stupid advise when Nazir is in the position of a favoured crony and taking full advantage of it.

And I think Nazir has a skewed view. No need to look worldwide – just look at our neighbour Singapore which has reformed and transformed into a thriving economy and is the largest investor in Malaysia and in most South East Asian countries.

Singapore is no different from Malaysia with relatives everywhere and family blocs as well. The citizens are suffering from parasite oligarch families turning democracies into satrapies and feudal business monopolies. Singapore is a MILITARY BASE which USA has invested in. Singapore is of no value (more so when the Ithsmus of Kra Canal – Devil they designated this your ‘neck’, but Lucifer surely spans all Creation, presumptuous to claim an Ithsmus as his neck???) otherwise but IS a pretext location for US state linked businessmen to justify a strategic military base in ASEAN.

Reformed and transformed? More like colluded and media spun, with the lame excuse of a supposed benevolent dictator . . . USA needs to re-examine their principles and REMOVE term limitless oligarch politicians for REAL love of the increasingly wise world at large. No more are world citizens east european borats, sand niggers, pakees and gooks, the 99% is ready to kick anyone’s ass for lying or overstepping fair authority or throwing fiat scrip at ‘poor countries’ . . .

PUTRAJAYA, July 2 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has called on Muslims to raise their level of knowledge, understanding and imbibing of Islamic teachings to protect themselves from being influenced by deviant religious teachings.

The Sultan (picture) said deviant religious teachings were actively being spread by certain groups in the country who regarded Prophet Muhammad’s companions as infidels and their religious teachers as prophets, and approved acts that were contrary to true Islamic teachings.

“This is worrying me as the deviant teachings are being insidiously disseminated through certain organisations.

“As the head of Islamic religion in the state, I do not want deviant religious teachings to influence the minds of the young in schools and higher learning institutions, as well as the community at large.

“Therefore, I hope the fatwa (edicts) that have been gazetted can be effectively enforced, taking into consideration the existing syariah legal provisions,” the Sultan said in his speech in conjunction with the Pemier Islamic Forum at Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (KUIS) in Bandar Baru Bangi near here tonight.

The Sultan said he wanted issues like lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals (LGBT), apostasy, religious pluralism, insulting and criticising Islam and other acts which could create conflicts and chaos to be immediately but decorously dealt with.

Sultan Sharafuddin said based on studies carried out, more and more Muslims were involved in LGBT activities which received the support of several non-governmental organisations and through the Internet and social media like Facebook as a medium for communication and interaction.

“I do not want to see the Muslim community divided and weak.

“I urge the Muslim community, particularly the Malays, to be united in protecting the sanctity and position of Islam as the official religion of the federation, so that it will continue to be respected and held in high esteem by all,” he said.

The Sultan also urged Muslims to maintain good relations with the other communities in the country so that peace, harmony and prosperity could prevail.

“The turbulence in some countries of late shows us that disunity will

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Single track minds are a luxury (if not cynical use as tools of control of already generally respectful populations) to behold . . .

This is a genetic issue not a social or religious issue. Nature (or Allah for the Muslims) has designed all of these expressions of humanity both to show us what is wrong and right, and even allows the state of apostasy as is Man’s right to free will that Malaysian Syariah Law ignores – ask the Al Azhar Islamic Universirt at Cairo if denying right to apostasy is correct or reasonable by any country that is supposed to be a Muslim country. Man not state has no right to demand any other to follow and children who have not reached maturity to CHOOSE to be Muslims can hardly be fairly considered Muslims as they would have to reach adulthood first BEFORE choosing to be Muslim, consider facing the prophet or if no real Muslim at all, there is no point.

Though any parents could bring any children up as Muslims, the choice of these children MUST NOT be taken from them – sad to say too many Muslims in Malaysia are of the former sort who have never been given a chance to choose , worse still are those being lured with the opportunity to oppress non-Muslims instead of choosing of free will and out of love of Islam per se. Their reasons for being Muslims are to abuse non-Muslims not because they are pious or fear Allah!

The sanctity and position of Islam as the official religion of the federation will always be viable in those who want to follow. Those who do not or cannot have nothing to do with Islam’s sanctity and hudud or violence must never be used against them! What would the gentle Prophet have done? Hudud is inapplicable, know the difference between REAL Muslims and those who lack the will to challenge a flawed system that entices with evil minded and disenfranchising, racist paradigms.

Shame on those who call themselves pious or Muslim but do not understand or consider the above! No good Muslim or even world citizen will deny any other :

LONDON: An exiled Indian Malaysian human rights lawyer plans to file a lawsuit against the British government for failing to provide adequate safety to the community under the rule of Malay-Muslim majority when independence was granted to the former colony.

London-based Waytha Moorthy claims that the then British Harold MacMillian’s government failed to provide protection to Indian Malaysians when independence was granted to the former colony in 1957.

The 46-year-old lawyer was expected to re-issue a class action lawsuit at the High Court Monday. He is claiming a sum of $1 million in compensation for each one of Malaysia’s 1.8 million Indians.

Originally launched in 2007, but never heard and now out of time, Moorthy’s claim is on behalf of Indian Malaysians who he said face human rights abuses and live unprotected and in “continuous colonisation”.

The then British government gave the Muslim population special rights and privileges, effectively establishing a system of apartheid ever since, he said in a statement.

“In India, at the time of partition, the British government gave rights to minorities.

“In Malaysia, minority racial and religious groups were hung out to dry. The result is that 45 percent of the population is still being marginalised, humiliated and discriminated against when it comes to jobs, education and finance,” said Moorthy, chair of

HINDRAF, an NGO advocating equal rights for Indian Malaysians.

The organisation is banned in Malaysia and Moorthy has been jailed on numerous occasions in that country.

Another strawman? The Malaysian government cannot be left out of this kind of lawsuit even as the English are no longer responsible though the English did initiate the Special Privileges via the Reid Commission which clearly stated only a 15 year period before review for abolishment of what has now become APARTHEID. The Malaysian MPs of whatever race or party who have kept the special privileges in place here the actual offenders. The Malaysian MPs who refuse to bring up or ratify a bill abolishing apartheid are at fault, not the English. Conversely, the English could speak ON Moorthy’s side at this angle condemning Malaysian MPs who refuse to remove apartheid privileges applicable only for 15 years. At the same time, Moorthy could fairly also demand that the ‘Eye of Brahma’ Black Diamond (currently in 3 parts, amongst other stolen treasures held by England) be returned to India.

The true criminals are the Malaysian MPs, also appropriate Ministerial portfolio members of cabinet, (of all races and faiths) who refuse to give or address or acknowledge :

That has led to feelings of disenfranchisement that have led to emotional distress and social persecution of those politically aware as well as political activists in Malaysia who should be compensated for any suffering they were made to endure during the entire period of the ILLEGAL (after 1976 at any rate) Special Privileges. Could the UN, Human Rights Council (which Malaysia is unsuitably a member of) and also Sunnite Islam’s highest authority (on the issue of Asabiya) please arbitrate and order that the obviously ILLEGAL and APARTHEID Special Privileges be ended immediately as well?

BN VIEWPOINT THERE is so much news of an impending water problem in the Klang Valley that it got me worried. I am not sure if it will be due to less rain, more development or politics — or all of the above.

In the Klang Valley the threat of water shortage began in 2008 when the Pakatan Rakyat government decided to take on the water companies, alleging they were inefficient and were getting sweetheart deals from the federal and previous state governments.

While the current state government is not responsible for higher water consumption, it nevertheless can be taking us to a water crisis in a hand basket.

The decision by the Selangor government to give free water soon after getting sworn into office in 2008 was the beginning of the politicising of water, just as some would politicise religion or education.

The desire of Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to impress the people of Selangor, and score political points, too, with benevolence is understandable. What better way to do so than with free water.

Khalid often claims that the free water does not see an increase in usage. That may be true, but he misses the point, entirely.

Water is a finite and valuable resource. Even if we can afford to give it away for free, we must not, since it will lessen its value to some people. Furthermore, it costs money to treat and make water potable, and people must know so.

An irony in the Selangor free water initiative is that many of those living in low-cost flats, for example, do not benefit from it, while those who can afford homes, do.

The standoff with the water companies and the Federal Government has a populist ring to it and would of course be politically rewarding. Selangor also put on hold several water-related projects on the premise of protecting the state from unfair deals.

It has been four years of relative inactivity, water-wise. At the same time the Klang Valley has expanded by dramatic proportions. Puchong, for instance, has turned into a major residential and commercial area, rivalling Subang Jaya, which is also expanding. Everywhere, new residential, commercial and industrial developments have, and are taking place.

As a result, the carrying capacity of the greater Klang Valley, with a population some estimate to be close to eight million, that is the heartbeat of the nation, is being stretched.

For water especially, this can already be felt by long-time residents who are experiencing lower water pressure these days. Some reports suggest if the margin of reserve is as thin as it is now, and if drought were to hit us, then we would be in trouble. The massive water shortage of the late 1990s is also fresh in our minds.

Khalid and his supporters on the other hand claim that there is no such thing as a water problem in Selangor and that the scaremongering is the work of political opponents. The claim that the Klang Valley would have a water crisis by 2014 is also a cry wolf.

Regardless, logic has it that if demand keeps increasing and supply were to remain the same, at some point, we would be in trouble.

At the moment I do not really care who is right or wrong. The state’s steadfastness over the issue is no longer admirable, but is verging on foolhardiness.

Stop politicising water. Klang Valley residents should not have to pay for political grandstanding, by anyone. This high-stake game of chicken, waiting for who will blink first is getting close to ridiculous — especially with the prospect of dry taps for millions of people.

– New Straits Times

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Knowing what rubbish Malaysia can degenerate into, there can be no harm in buying a week or few worth of water and food supplies for future use. That way water ‘threats’ won’t be effective in swaying votes. And don’t use plastic bottles or tanks as your ‘private reservoir’ – plastic sloughs off into the water. If anyone in Dewan has half a mind to riot to cause a lockdown or ‘Emergency’, the citizens will be ready to hold out until the ASEAN or NATO Peacekeepers get here.

On a side note incidentally, for all the farcical harm Mahathir Mohammed has caused Malaysia via Vehicular AP and Toll Both System, stolen lives and lands from Orang Asli indigenous peoples, racism against the Indians and Chinese, how could the UN even give that nepotistic old dictator (who bailed out childrens’ shipping failures) an award – Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial award, for ‘accomplishments in areas that include leadership (dictatorship is not leadership); statesmanship and good governance (Ops Lallang and Judicial Crisis are massivce failures that UN can hardly ignore); construction and reconstructions of settlements and communities (destructionof Orang Asli habitats – alienations of OrangAsli lands and forced resettlement without choice is NOT construction) ; and human resource development (breeding cronyism and corruption – ask ANY Malaysia EVEN the cynical UMNO party the old creep Mahathir is from – for any idea on how Malaysia feels about Mahathir . . . .’ SOCIAL development?

UN whats wrong with you? I propose that the entire awards committee or vetting panel for the Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial award BE SACKED, and all others ‘awards vetters’ be audited for potential BRIBERY and corruption. UN is fast becoming redundant when awards can be given to the most criminal of people who did the exact opposite of what the worst most unstatesmen like 3rd world cults of personality for awards like the above. One even begins to wonder if Rafik Hariri was another criminal to begin with now! NAM and BRICS or ASEAN or UNASUR will indeed have to play UN’s role in ‘counter-vetting’ now. Lets see what the above non-UN organisations say about the award to determine what the above non-UN organisations are worth. Perhaps USA would like to comment? After all UN HQ is currently in the USA, and if USA concur with the Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial award being correctly awarded to one of the worst people in ASEAN, then USA is as bad as the person disgracefully awarded . . . just shocking . . .

MORE than three decades ago, I sat in the public gallery at the magistrate’s court as a pregnant woman was brought in to the dock with her hands cuffed behind her back. The interpreter read the charge to her and asked: Mengaku salah atau tidak?

“She pleads guilty, your honour,” the interpreter said and asked her if she had anything to say in mitigation. “Saya ambil susu itu untuk anak saya.” (I took the milk for my child.) For shoplifting a tin of powdered milk and some other items, she was sent to the slammer for six months.

Two days later, before another magistrate, a 22-year-old man pleaded guilty to committing criminal breach of trust of RM20,000 belonging to his employer. After pleading guilty, his counsel stood up and mitigated, playing up his client’s good values and how his client ended up in wrong company and was forced to steal from his employer. He was bound over on a good behaviour bond.

In the month that followed, my then colleague Au Foong Yee, who was covering the PJ courts reported about a man who caused injury to a victim while committing robbery. He was bound over but the minor report did not escape the eyes of Justice N. H. Chan who was a sitting High Court judge. He called up the case for review and imposed a custodial sentence.

In the years that followed, I continued to read about the rich and famous getting away with slaps on their wrists but yet could do nothing, especially cases involving white collar crimes. These two incidents, though, left me pondering over what I perceived as unfair and unequal sentences. On more than one occasion, I had used the pregnant woman’s sentence in this column. Very much later, in the university library in England, I came across a publication called Sentencing Guidelines.

The foreword was compelling reading. Sentencing, it says, is a complex and difficult exercise. It can never be a rigid, mechanistic or scientific process. Consistency of approach by sentencers is essential to maintain public confidence. But perfect consistency in outcome is impossible to achieve because of the infinite variety of circumstances with which, even in relation to one kind of offence, the courts are presented.

“In choosing a fair and just sentence in a particular case, judges and magistrates, within the parameters established by Parliament, must have regard to the gravity of the offence, its impact on the victim, the circumstances of the offender and the wider public interest. In relation to all these matters they must exercise judgment and discretion,” wrote Lord Justice Rose, vice-president, Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and the deputy chairman, Sentencing Guidelines Council.

That was seven years ago and sentencing is still a fascination and court reports are closely followed. Last week, there was cause to have reason to be happy because a seldom-heard-of custodial sentence was imposed by the Court of Appeal for a white collar crime.

Even the Securities Commission called it a landmark decision as a former Fountain View Development Bhd company director, Datuk Chin Chan Leong, was sent to prison to serve a 12-month jail sentence for a share manipulation offence in Bursa Malaysia committed between 2003 and 2004.

Chin, who pleaded guilty to shares manipulation two years ago, was initially given a one-day jail sentence and RM1.3 million fine for the offence. A three-member Appeals Court panel enhanced (Chin’s) custodial sentence to 12 months’ jail after ruling that the one-day jail imposed by the sessions court did not reflect the seriousness of the offence.

We are often reminded that laws are sets of moral codes which have been put on paper for ease of enforcement. Hence, those who commit crimes against fellow citizens, must be appropriately punished. So, can we expect a set of guidelines for magistrates and judges to use?

R. Nadeswaran is editor (special and investigative reporting) at theSun and can be reached at: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Try the one in the ‘Gambier Threat’ where the laws are not amended and fines imposed on everyone FOR offenses committed on their own private property. the amount of suffering created and fines imposed far outstrips 1 can of powdered milk. At the police level after reporting, a simple talk with the/a local Ombudsman and a gifting of another can of milk by the local list of billionaires or millionaires (in turn so that the pain will be shared – one can of milk is nothing to too many of us) should be where this ends. Not wasting more resources and then allowing the prison contractor system to profit AGAIN.

The court magistrate or who knows even the arresting officer should be offended enough to dismiss the case instantly, (after gifting the woman money for milk? Who will take care of the woman’s child?) and not even waste the taxpayer’s time and funds much less punish the woman at 1000s of times the cost to taxpayers for 1 can of milk – inquitable and wasteful hence unjust. Where are the days when the local big shot or state apparatus would just distribute milk so that people who do need to steal like this won’t have to and just turn up at the ‘food stamp centre’ every month instead? The planet’s English based modern legal and punishments system is the most inefficient system in nature and any civilisation in this universe. We civilised persons aware, should be ashamed at the greed and selfishness plutocrats and the punitive nature of judgements which burden society and taxpayer. Magnanimity and wasteful lack of creative treatment of problems typifies Malaysians.

Bukit Koman a small village situated in the district of Raub, Pahang became famous over a hundred years ago because of its godl mine. There are about 400 households and a population of about 3,000. Life was peaceful and serene until early August, 2006 when the issue of “Cyanide” brought fear and anxiety.

August 21st, last year, the London listed company known as Peninsular Gold Limited wholly own subsidiary, Australian Gold Mining Sdn. Bhd., has obtained the written approval from the Mineral and Geosains of Pahang to mine gold using Cyanide at the vicinity of the gold mining site in Bukit Koman without the knowledge of the villagers. It is known that they have built up the infracture for gold mining already.

Cyanide (CN) is the most toxic chemical, that can stop human cells from consuming exygen. Anyone who inhales concentrated Hydrogen Cyanide Gas ould drop dead instantly. In using Cyanide to extract gold, the yield is high as 97% which made the venture very attractive. Since 1960, the use of Cyanide in gold mining becama very common.

In october 1st 2006, the Gold Mining Company disclosed the approval letter for Cyanide gold mining form the State Government to the Bukit koman Committee members over lunch in one of the Raub Restaurant. They claimed that it is safe and the health of the villages will not be affected. After the Bukit Koman Committee members broke the news to the villagers, some went online to find out more about Cyanide. It is confirmed that the Cyanide is a deadly chemical. The villagers decided to from a committee to protect themselves. They seek the assistance of “Sahabat Alam Malaysia” (SAM) and with its help, an Anti-Cyanide Committee was formed. An all residents Anti-Cyanide compaign were mobilized.

As Bukit Koman New Village is situated just right at the side of the gold mine, the villages are very unhappy that the Pahang Mine And Geology Department has surreptitiously approved the use of Cyanide in gold mining without deu considerations.

Our Malaysia Government and Environmental Minister has always stressed the importance of relocating the small, medium and big industries with either smoke or non-smoke to be at least 5 km away from town area and all the environmental wastes must be treated very carefully. All the villagers, young and old alike are frightened and anxious and angry at the total disregard to their health and well being.

The nearest house, No. 74-A in Bukit Koman is only two meters away from the mining site and most of the houses in the village are only separated by a village road.

Question being asked, how and why did The Pahang Mine and Geology Department able to grant and approve the use of Cyanide in the mining of gold here when there are houses and small industries (Mee, Tau Foo, Groundnuts) so close to the mine.

There is a river flowing through the mining site. If the river overflows during floods, the water will seep into the gold mining infrastructure and can lead to Cyanide leadage and resulting in disastrous conssequences.

This has already happened in advanced and developed countries that used Cyanide to extract gold. Should that happen here, not only Bukit Koman villagers are danger but also the whole Raub population as well.

River pollution will definetely lead to “The Raub Oil Mill” and Oil Palm plantations by the Koman River. The mill uses the water for the manufacturing of Palm Oil products. These products are meant for markets both locals and overseas.

Polluted water will definitely lead to Lipis District also because the water flows to Sungai Dong and there on to Sungai Lipis and on and on.

A resident by the name of Gan Chew Yen, presently doing her Master Degree in Chemistry, pointed out that when Cyanide solution is slightly Acidic, it can turn to Cyanide Gas which is extreamely toxic and when Cyanide solution is Alkaline, the Cyanide will not break down. So either in the air or water, this chemical is extremely toxic to the environment.

Robert Moran, a Geo-Chemical expert, has found Cyanide contaminated sediments at a Cobalt-Nickel mine in Missouri that contained many milligrams per kilogram of total Cyanide more than 25 years after all processing had ceased. Samples of bricks, concrete palster and mortar from buildings at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps collected 45 years after all use of Cyanide ceased still showed detectable concentrations of Cyanide, presumably as Iron Cyanides.

History of accidents did happen; Cyanide and heavy metal leaks from the Summitville gold mine killed all aquatic life along a 27 kilometer stretch of the Alamosa River in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado. By the time the fold mine was shut down in December 1992, the total clean-up costs have exceeded US$150 million.

In North-Western state of Montana, November 3, 1998, banned the use of Cyanide to extract gold. After years of suffering and dozens toxic leaks from the local mines, the indigenous assiniboine and Gros Ventre peoples had to battle for years in court to force Pegasus, a Canadian gold mining company, to clean-up Cyanide Waste on the Fort Belknap reservation in the Little Rocky Mountains of Montana. Although the community won the lawsuit in 1996, the company declared bankruptcy the following year thwarting clean-up efforts.

The community of Bergama, Turkey, was the first to win a legal ban on Cyanide. In May, 1997, the highest Turkish administrative court overturned approval given by the Department of Environment for the proposed Eurogold project after a rally by 10,000 local poeple with 1,000 tractors occupied the mine site. The judgement was based on the Turkish Constitution and its guarantee of a healthy and intact environment. The court found that the Cyanide based mining technology was at odds with these constitutional rights.

There were “seven wells” left behind by the Raub Australian Gold Mining company when they mined gold underground many years ago. The Australian started mining gold in Raub and Bukit Koman since 1898 to 1963. These seven wells are situated along a straight line from “Raub Well” near the present Chung Ching Secondary School in Raub to the “Malacca Well” in Bukit Koman at the present gold mining area. The depths of these wells range from 600 ft. to 1,200 ft. underground. These wells are accessible by underground tunnels, which included the three wells now under the waste mining lake (tailings).

If the waste tailings and water containing Cyanide seeps into ground and into the waste mining lake, the whole of Raub District will be Cyanide contaminated by way of the underground water, interconnected by these tunnels.

Pollution would not only have a serious repervussion on the 3,000 villages of Bukit Koman but the whole population of Raub District.

The villagers have been very sincere in asking The Pahang State Government, Parliment and State Assemblyman to consider their humble request and look into their plight. It is the villagers hope that the “Letter of Authority To Mine” No. Phg. 14/2006 dated 21/8/2006 using Cyanide / Carbon In-Leach by the Mineral and Geosains of Pahang, on the study that was based some 10 years ago be revoked from the gold mining company. Last but not least we would like the Government of the day to treat this matter with urgency and not to one gold mining company that overrides the population of Raub.
Posted by Choong Siew onn at Monday, June 16, 2008
1 comment:

Jiaxin said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
July 18, 2009 7:37 PM

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Typical. 1 comment and DAP sees fit to remove. Malaysia Chronicle a pro-DAP outfit also does the same, did that so much I stopped posting more or less there. This being the MP’s site, doesn’t surprise at all. Would Raub citizens want to field an independent candidate who will shut all gold mines immediately? Consider one of those retirees who will also stand for :

The local MP is probably on the take from RAGM and pretending to be sending samples and what not. A really decisive MP would have shut down the whole area by declaring the whole constituency ‘Agriculture and Residential only’. Would the voters in Raub want to vote for a candidate that would be able to not be tempted by gold or buyoffs and just shut every offending mine down as is the MP’s power and right to represent the locals rather than collude against the locals? Independent candidates and 3rd Forcers, activists, want to write 1 law (which is more than that CM of Penang character did) for the entire 1st term stint which abolishes use of cyanide or any dangerous chemical ENTIRELY in all gold mining operations at least? Voters should know who has the mind to do that . . .

ARTICLE 13

‘Umno does not own BN’ – Wednesday, 04 July 2012 Super Admin

A MIC leader says the the days of the ‘Big Brother’ syndrome is over and component parties should not quit BN if it disagreed with Umno.

(FMT) – Barisan Nasional is made up of various partners founded on the principle of power sharing and no party can claim to be the sole proprietor of the coalition, said a MIC leader.

Therefore, S Vell Paari stressed that if Umno crossed the line then the other parties should come together to discuss the matter and find a solution.

In the past, he said Umno leaders had called for the withdrawal of component parties from BN whenever it was deemed that the line was not toed.

“So why is it that whenever a controversial issue arises concerning Umno it is the component parties which threaten to quit BN? This should not be the case.

“No one party has a monopoly in BN and decisions are based on consensus. Gone are the days of the ‘Big Brother’ syndrome,” he told FMT.

The MIC central working committee member also disagreed with the description of Umno being the backbone of BN, saying that the title belonged to the people.

The son of former MIC president S Samy Vellu was responding to the warning from MCA’s Young Professionals Bureau head Chua Tee Yong.

Tee Yong, the son of MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, said his party would quit BN if Umno attempted to implement the Islamic hudud law.

He was reacting to Johor Umno state assemblyman Ayub Rahmat who suggested that hudud be implemented in the state to cover all races.

Ayub had put MCA in a spot as the hudud issue had been one of the Chinese-based party’s most potent weapon against its Chinese-predominated rival DAP over the latter’s association with the Islamic PAS.

Time to be more aggressive

Meanwhile, Vell Paari was confident that Umno would not push for the implementation of hudud but stated that the controversy necessitated certain points to be made clear.

He said MIC and MCA’s problem with Umno in the past was that its previous leaderships refused to acknowledge or even compromise with the two parties.

This, he noted, led to the inequality between the races, which in turn bred the resentment of the Chinese and Indian communities towards BN.

“I am not against the development of the majority but at the same time, the minorities should not have been left out in terms of education, employment and so forth,” he said.

However, Vell Paari said the situation was different now under the stewardship of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

“He is a prime minister who is willing to listen and he even had the courage to apologise for the coalition’s past mistake. Whatever said and done, I respect the man for that,” he said.

On the same note, Vell Paari said MIC and MCA must be more aggressive in fighting for the rights of the communities which the parties represented.

“The hard and cold fact is that our respective communities chose to turn their backs on us because we were seen as toothless tigers. And true enough, we were bullied into a corner.

“We must make a stand to show that we are not second or third fiddle in BN and our leaders are not there to attend functions and savour the kuih alone,” he said.

There is nothing BN can offer the Rakyat now, and all BN MPs are millionaires and billionaires already. Who needs this sort of MPs or inequality? Use that mandate to grant the above 3 items and stop expecting the citizens to vote for BN! Why should anyone vote for a coalition that does not use the mandate they already have to end apartheid?

In declaring his fidelity and denying his wife assaulted him or the other woman, the DAP leader slips in an attack against the MCA president, who then retaliates.

In the latest chapter of the tussle between DAP and MCA, Lim Guan Eng has been accused of sharing an intimate relationship with a former staff and thus earning the wrath of his wife. His enraged wife Kota Laksamana (Malacca) assemblywoman Betty Chew, alluded MCA, had then assaulted both Lim and the woman, who had since been transferred. In a media statement this afternoon, the DAP secretary-general denied the allegation that his wife had beaten him or the woman.

Launching a vitriolic salvo against his opponents, Lim, who denied indulging in an extra-marital affair, also seized the opportunity to revisit MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s scandalous past.

He dared Malacca MCA chairman Gan Tian Loo, who raised the matter in the state assembly on Monday, to repeat his claim outside the House without hiding behind the cloak of immunity.

Lim said this would allow his wife and him to drag Gan to court and prove that he (Lim) was not like the MCA president.

“DAP never indulges in gutter politics,” he pointed out.

“DAP never abused parliamentary privilege and proceedings to attack the MCA president when he was caught in a video tape having an extra-marital affair with another woman,” he added.

Lim regretted that while DAP chose to exercise restraint, MCA was willing to stoop low.

Taking another swipe at the MCA president, the Penang chief minister said he would not ask Chua to direct Gan to repeat his allegation outside the House since the former had no moral authority to do so given his own scandal.

Instead, he wanted Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to issue the order.

Training his guns on Gan, Lim said if the latter failed to repeat his allegation, it would prove that he was a coward who was unfit to be a leader.

“Worse, he will show himself unworthy to be a husband and father… who can make false allegations against another to destroy not just his political career but also the family’s happiness.

“What kind of leader is Gan when he is willing to be used as a lackey of Umno to play such gutter politics?” he asked.

Chua: I have courage, you don’t

Retaliating, the MCA president agreed that Lim was not like him as there was a stark difference between the two, which was courage.

“I have the courage to be responsible and bear the consequences [for my actions],” he said in a media statement.

Chua asked if Lim would be brave enough to admit his mistake, apologise and resign from his posts as he did.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

The Rakyat does not care who sleeps with who in DAP and MCA or if DAP and MCA has orgies every weekend with their political interns. Thats for the wife or husband to sue. The Rakyat only cares about having :

;and that TERM LIMITS are respected, that democracy and equality is upheld. Morality is NOT the same as good policy writing or conscientious amendments to bad laws or ending apartheid. Have orgies all you want DAP and MCA, but not use a mandate to end apartheid or use those legislative powers to amend laws, and the Rakyat will have no further use for any political party, BOTH Lim Guan Eng and Chua Soi Lek will be useless to the voter if they talk about their sex lives instead of amending laws and ending apartheid. 2 terms, AND equality, then GTFO of Dewan for the other citizens to participate in bettering the nation instead of talking about whos sleeping with who. Focus on the issue and use those 2 term limited powers!

ARTICLE 16

To understand today you need to know yesterday – Wednesday, 04 July 2012 Super Admin – by John Roberts, WSWS.ORG

Many of you were not in the scene back in 1997/1998 when Malaysia was hit by a financial crisis and Anwar Ibrahim made his move to oust Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. It was a classic case of the hunter becoming the hunted and how Dr Mahathir turned a losing hand into a winning hand. It may be time to revisit what happened 14-15 years ago considering that many of these players are now re-emerging as the power-brokers for the coming general election.

Malaysian economic regulatory authorities—the Securities Commission and the central bank, Bank Negara—have initiated an extensive crackdown in the corporate sector in the name of ending corrupt practices. However, questions have been raised by opposition figures and in financial circles about the selective, political nature of the measures that have targeted businessmen connected to opponents of the Malaysian government.

On August 12, the Malaysia’s Sun newspaper reported that the Securities Commission had handed the Immigration Department a list of 70 names of businessmen and their senior advisors to prevent them from leaving Malaysia. The Securities Commission admitted taking the action, claiming only that the number was lower.

Among those already arrested and facing charges are some of the most prominent figures in the country’s corporate sector. On April 30, Ismail Zakariah, a former chief executive of the Sime Bank, a major Malaysian bank, was charged with breaking lending guidelines under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act by lending $M175 million ($US46 million) against the instructions of the bank’s board.

On July 24, KFC managing director Ishak Ismail and Abrar Corporation executive chairman Wan Hasni Wan Sulaiman were charged with offences under the Securities Act. The KFC director, who became a major corporate figure after gaining control of Idris Hydraulic in 1991, is charged with providing false information in 1996 when submitting a plan for Securities Commission approval. Wan Hasni Wan Sulaiman has been charged over allegedly using a plan to cheat investors in 1997.

On August 4, Datuk Tony Thiah Thee Kian, executive of TA Securities, the country’s largest retail brokerage firm, and his sister-in-law, Kimmy Khoo Poh Kim, the company secretary, were charged with aiding the political and business figure John Soh Chee Wen in defrauding the now defunct Omega Securities of $M424.9 million. If convicted Tiah and Khoo could face jail sentences of up to 10 years and fines of up to $M1million. The authorities have initiated an international manhunt for Soh.

Opposition figures have accused Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of directing the crackdown against businessmen connected to the deposed and jailed former deputy prime minister and financial minister Anwar Ibrahim. Similar concerns have been voiced by bankers and businessmen quoted in Hong Kong and Singapore-based newspapers.

Members of Parti Keadilan Nasional (National Justice Party), established this year by Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah, have denounced the measures saying they are aimed at smearing and intimidating opposition supporters in the lead-up to the national elections. One of the government’s aims, they say, is to cut off funds for opposition parties.

The poll is due to be held by the middle of next year, but there is widespread speculation in the press that Mahathir will call an early election.

The government claims the crackdown is not politically motivated but has been initiated by the Securities Commission in response to calls from foreign investors, fund managers, business and the media for moves against corrupt business practices. Mahathir said the regulating authorities were acting independently of the government. Securities Commission chairman Ali Abdul Kadir commented: “We are not concentrating on any particular sector, party, of friends of anybody.”

Mahathir’s assertions appear to be rather hollow, as a number of those facing charges are well known for their connections to Anwar.

For 10 years until 1991, Datuk Ishak Ismail was secretary of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) division of Permatang Pauh—Anwar’s constituency in Penang. After 1991 he remained a committee member. His political closeness to Anwar is apparent from an interview in which he said Anwar “is my mentor and I learnt a lot from him. I felt privileged to serve under him in his division. I have great respect for him. He is a leader of high integrity.”

Wan Hasni Wan Sulaiman was also a strong Anwar supporter. He was deputy chief of the UMNO young organisation in Kelantan until Anwar was deposed in last September. In October, he was expelled from UMNO for “anti-UMNO activities” as part of a purge of 300 to 400 Anwar supporters.

Ismail Zakaria was known to be close to both Mahathir and Anwar when the latter was Finance Minister. He was being considered as a future governor of the Bank Negara.

Furthermore, the roundup of Anwar supporters comes in the aftermath of fresh allegations by the jailed Anwar of corrupt practices by close supporters of Mahathir. In the course of July, he lodged police reports accompanied by supporting documents alleging that:

* Mahathir, in collaboration with the attorney-general’s chambers, blocked the criminal prosecution of international trade and industry minister Rafidah Aziz over charges that she had favoured her son-in-law in an allocation of shares.

* Mahathir, and not managing director Eric Chia, was largely responsible for $M3 billion in losses at the state-owned steel corporation Perwaja.

* Present Finance Minister and business tycoon Daim Zainuddin received money and shares from three prominent businessmen — Halim Saad, controlling shareholder of the giant Renong corporation; Tajudin Ramli, Malaysian Airlines chairman and principal shareholder; and Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah, chairman of the property group Land & General. Daim is one of Mahathir’s closest political associates.

While Anwar’s allegations have received little publicity and are unlikely to be pursued by the police, they appear to have rattled the Mahathir government. “The Anwar reports have put the government back on the defensive. They seem to be in a bind on how to react,” Jomo Sundaram, an economics professor, commented.

The crackdown by the Securities Commission is part of Mahathir’s answer as he considers whether to call an early election. The UMNO general assembly, held from June 18 to 20, was used by the party leadership as a virtual election rally. Claiming that the government’s regulatory policies were working, Mahathir and Daim branded the IMF’s policies as moves by the “ethnic Europeans” to recolonise Malaysia, and Anwar and his supporters as the lackeys of foreign capital.

The government has also put Anwar on trial for a second time, on charges of sodomy. He is already serving a six-year sentence on corruption charges. The trial has proceeded despite evidence that witness statements against Anwar were coerced by the police. The police have just admitted this week that they rewrote the charges when it was discovered that the apartment block in which the offenses were supposed to have taken place had not even been built at the time.

As well as the publicity surrounding the trial, Mahathir is counting on an improved economy to assist him winning an early election. But the so-called recovery in Malaysia has largely been fueled by government spending and is rather shaky. There has been little foreign investment in the country. Export growth in April and increased foreign reserves occurred against the backdrop of an economic contraction of 7.5 percent last year. Banks have refused to increase lending by the 8 percent demanded by the government.

Anwar’s expulsion last year and his subsequent jailing were not simply the product of a personal falling-out between the prime minister and his former deputy, but reflected deep rifts in ruling circles in the wake of the Asian economic crisis. Anwar demanded that the UMNO-led government respond by adopting the economic policies required by the IMF, a process he had begun as finance minister. He was seeking to further open up the economy to foreign investment and maintained a high interest rate regime, which was threatening to bring down major Malaysian corporations, including some closely allied to Mahathir and Daim.

Last September Mahathir responded by sacking the Bank Negara head and implemented a series of capital and currency controls including the suspension of offshore trading of the Malaysian ringgit, a fixed exchange rate and restrictions on the repatriation of profits by foreigners in share trading. When Anwar refused to accept the changes and refused to resign, Mahathir sacked and then expelled him from UMNO. After Anwar launched a nationwide campaign calling for Mahathir’s removal, he was arrested under the Internal Security Act and then finally changed with corruption and sexual misconduct.

The bitter dispute first surfaced in the June 1998 at the general assembly of UMNO. Anwar tried to appeal to the resentment of smaller Malay business interests who were going to the wall, while those close to UMNO were being bailed out by government money. He and his supporters called for the government to “cleanse society of collusion, corruption and nepotism”.

Mahathir responded at the time by producing a list of business interests connected to Anwar, who had benefited from state largesse. The message was clear: pursue this anti-corruption campaign and you will end up being investigated for financial malpractice. A little over a year later, the Mahathir government seems to be carrying out the threat.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Re-emerging RPK says? What a joke. 2 terms over? A plutocrat from being in politics? NO RE-EMERGENCE then. GTFO of Dewan you term limitless nepotists plutocrats! Will the independent candidates step forward and remove al;l these -re-emergers? The last thing we need is pre-1997 politicians taking the stand AGAIN. 1990s where the MOST UMNO dominated, least transparent era of nepotist Mahathir and Kris waving Home Ministers . . . RPK really has lost his mind. How could RPK fette deadwood from a dead era who are so wealthy and term limitless over young Malaysians who are not complicit on not challenging the apartheid system in Malaysia, but tacit approval and n ot challenging the apartheid special privileges which are also anathema in Islam?

Re-emerging politicians? No thanks. The nasi lemak or kuih seller (who does not believe in apartheid), sweeper or petty trader at the roadside has a better chance than any billionaire or even millionaire plutocrat much less the term limitless nepotist MPs trying to become plutocrats by stealing from the other citizens the rights to award contracts for the better of the country – NOT themselves to become plutocrats with. We’d rather such politicians NEVER re-emerge and be crushed by society (not voting them or keeping 2 term limits in place by dropping candidates after 2 terms) for the harm they have done with their bodeking and corrupt or racist behaviour, floundering on ending apartheid.

(The Malaysian Insider) – Already facing possible expulsion, Tamrin Ghafar, the son of former deputy prime minister and Umno strongman Tun Ghafar Baba, has again criticised the party’s leadership for straying from its “original struggle”.

The former Bukit Berendam MP told The Malaysian Insider last night that, under Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership, Umno has been trampling on the rights of Malaysians instead of defending them.

“Umno has strayed from the original struggle of its forefathers, who had prioritised the people more.

He expressed disappointment that, since Najib succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2009, both the directions of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno have changed drastically.

Tamrin, who has recently been active on Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) political stage, confirmed he had received a show-cause letter from Umno’s disciplinary committee on June 26 demanding he explain his criticisms against Najib’s leadership.

He has declined to reply, however, saying he would prefer to meet with the committee to explain his reasons “face to face”.

“I’ve been given 14 days to respond. But I refuse to do so in writing. Instead, I am seeking to meet with the committee to explain my actions to them personally,” he said, despite acknowledging that this may result in his sacking.

When asked of his plans to join other parties should he be sacked, Tamrin said he was yet to make a decision.

“Let’s wait for the committee’s decision first. I have not thought about joining other parties yet,” he added.

Tamrin first made an appearance in an opposition-backed event during a pre-Bersih 3.0 rally held in April at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kampung Baru here.

Since then, the leader has been an active participant of PR events, and has even written to Najib to air his views on how Umno could recapture public support.

Tamrin’s father, Ghafar, had been deputy prime minister during the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration and had served under four prime ministers, including Tun Abdul Razak, who is Najib’s father.

The late Ghafar had also been the Malacca chief minister for some eight years from 1959 to 1967 although he had originally declined the post offered to him by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Here’s one of those very rare UMNO guys with the ethical or reform mindset of Semangat 46. Shahrir Samad (indepnendant minded enough to throw away UMNO’s style of politics, but formerly indulged in at least 1 or 2 corrupt acts), Tengku Razaleigh (glacial action on apartheid and crony politics in the past, talking about lots of embroyonic stuff but nothing concrete – Kuli is not exactly young and have been term limitless, how about doing something for this term or GTFO of Dewan for a more pro-active Tunku!) and Tamrin Ghafar (a man can turn down a CM’s post is exceptional indeed – deserves a Tunship but since Tamrin is too proud to lobby Tamrin probably got nothing . . . , Ghafar is a true STATESMAN not a mere political animal clinging to power) could well form the core of a new BN, with the likes of reform minded but (thus far) unable to speak up on APARTHEID types like Ong Tee Keat.

The nation of Malaysia has reached the crossroads after years of suffering much anguish and pain in the hands of being ruled by Barisan Nasional. The extent of anguish and pain that Malaysians have suffered in the hands of BN cannot be fully quantified or assessed as yet.

However, what is certain is the way and manner of governing Malaysia since the days of the establishment of the Mahathir regime which has definitely witnessed a major blow and setback for democracy and race relations.

The real “pengkhianat Bangsa Melayu”?

It is an undeniable fact that while Mahathir governed Malaysia with impunity, he was also guilty of being a racist and a Malay chauvinist.

By often calling upon and using the racial card, he caused gullible and unsuspecting Malays and other bumiputras to believe that their common enemy is the non-bumiputras especially the Chinese and Indians.

But the blow to his racial ploy was only apparent with the return of globalisation to the fore.

When the world decided to go global, Mahathir’s racial ploys backfired and blew up in his face. The Malays were found not to have the competitive edge in being able to compete in a globalised environment as they were rendered weak by being fully dependent on the BN government for assistance and aid.

By causing Malays and bumiputras to become soft in their belly, an underclass society actually, it is really Mahathir Mohammad who is truly the “pengkhianat Bangsa Melayu” (the traitor to the Malays), and not Anwar Ibrahim, which Perkasa should take note.

Played his cards badly

Many Malays after this went into a dither, upon globalisation taking place, and if they are managing today, it is because of the continued and able support being given by non-bumiputras to them.

In reality, the Chinese and the Indians are pragmatic and wise in seeing that if the Malays and bumiputras become unbalanced economically there will be chaos in the country.

Mahathir however played his cards very badly. He instilled in Malays and bumiputras a fear that the real threat to their well being are the Chinese and Indians who are out to rob them of their share of the economic pie.

This caused race relations to go back to the dark ages with Mahathir behaving more Malay than the Malays themselves in wanting to seemingly safeguard and defend them.

Created a situation where he did not have to answer to anyone

Mahathir went out of his way to dispel any notion that he has links with Indian ancestry in an attempt to be seen as the sole champion and custodian of Malay rights. In doing so, he used the Chinese and Indians as the bogeys to frighten the Malays and bumiputras.

By promoting racism and Malay chauvinism, Mahathir was able to secure the Malay vote bank and win general elections over the years of his rule with commanding victories.

However, the fallout with his deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, over the devaluation of the Malaysian ringgit because of Mahathir gambling with funds obtained from Bank Negara Malaysia in the currency market spelt the beginning of the end of his so-called legacy.

Mahathir caused Anwar to be the scapegoat to cover for his misdeeds and acts of blatant corruption as he governed Malaysia without having to be answerable or accountable to anyone. He was governing Malaysia as a man above the law.

Cronyism and cronyism

During the tenure of his premiership, Mahathir established a BN-crony network to create the minority elite in this country while most Malays and bumiputras looked forward to a token value of financial progress.

Besides this, he staffed and employed most Malays by absorbing them into the civil service and offering them terms and conditions of service that were second-to-none despite a poor and low productivity rate and output by the civil service.

This was another of his ploys to curry favour with the Malays and to assure himself of their votes. As it stands, the racial composition of the staffing and employment of the overly-bloated civil service in this country is a blatant example and reflection of his acts of racism and chauvinism.

This is why more and more ordinary Malaysians have come to the realisation and recognition that Mahathir is perhaps more to be known as Bapa Rasuah (the father of corruption) than Bapa Pembangunan (the father of development).

A legacy of evil?

Mahathir’s skewering and tinkering with the politics and policies in this country has caused rising anger and resentment against him owing to numerous allegations of atrocities and abuses committed by him and his henchmen in the country.

Only by him and his cronies being brought before an international tribunal of justice can Malaysians be assured that the crimes he committed in this country towards Malaysians can come to the fore without people being fearful of reprisal.

While expecting justice and fair play by a competent court of justice in this country or even establishing a Royal Commission of Inquiry into his crimes and misdeeds might not lead to justice being seen to be done, Malaysians must bring him to book in an independent court abroad where his reach and influence is not there.

While Mahathir claims he does not fear death but evil, the evil he has spawned in this country is enough to convince and convict right-thinking Malaysians that his evil legacy is already in tatters for the coming generations to study as facts of history.

Malaysia Chronicle

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

At this point of time, someone even asks ‘True of False’ about Malaysia’s worst confirmed dictator? Malaysia Chronicle has turned strawman . . . If not wrongly read, Christopher Fernandez should be ashamed to even attempt manipulative NLP (neurolinguistic programming) against the citizen readers via this article’s title – only the title is an NLP – the content of the article is just fine. Even on the 1 single count of Ops Lallang against Malaysians (not to mention Ops Lallang, Vehicular AP, Toll Concessions, Orang Asli Land Alienations, Crony Capitalism etc..) is Mahathir damned on ‘True False’ basis. Can’t ‘True False’ so obvious an offender! Selling soul to the media by disrespectfully throwing NLP at the public is not a way to earn a living ‘Chris’. Try apartheid and how Mahathir is the only Mamak in Malaysia who is a bumiputra, then know where you stand ‘Chris’ . . .

Will PM Najib impose TERM LIMITS on MPs to remove all the nepotists and oligarchs and plutocrats, putting the RAMAN series of apartheid PM’s to a high end note, exhonerate UMNO and raise Malaysians to a state of equality? Use that mandate or BN is finished and PR might try to destroy BN’s ‘personalities’ after winning (including C4 users . . . ) End the Sin of Asabiya and comply with the UNHCR Articles. End the Apartheid of Bumiputra as a righteous PM might do so . . .

ARTICLE 19

SHOCKING parenting by Dr M: Tells Marina to behave herself and be sensitive to Mukhriz Featured Written by Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle – Friday, 29 June 2012 17:21

Fresh from publicly endorsing his son Mukhriz for the Kedah chief minister’s seat, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad next trained his sights on his daughter – Marina.

Urging the sometimes outspoken Marina to be ‘sensitive’ of how her often liberal behavior could affect her brother’s political chances, the 86-year-old Mahathir revealed for the first time his parenting skills to the nation.

And it is clear, as far as the Mahathir family goes, politics come first.

“I do hope she will realise what she is doing is not good for herself, not good for the government party at least. She should also be sensitive about her brother who is contesting in the election,” Mahathir said during an interview with online television station The Malaysian Observer (MobTV).

He had been asked to comment on Marina, an AIDS/HIV activist and open supporter of the Bersih rallies for clean elections – two issues that Mahathir is openly and vehemently against but which Marina apparently endorses.

Drawing a line

Just a day ago, Mahathir warned that allowing the LGBT community rights would lead to the end of ‘mankind’.

Today, he publicly warned his daughter not to get carried away with her volunteer work and end up fighting for the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender folk.

“She never said she supports this; I hope she doesn’t. She cared for this people but she has to draw a line between them and the idea that being homosexual is okay, or men marrying men is okay,” said Mahathir.

The former PM who ruled Malaysia for 22 years from 1981 to 2003 also let slip he did not like Marina to associate herself with Bersih, the movement for free and fair elections as he believed it had been hijacked by the opposition.

However, Mahathir skirted the issue of whether he supported the principle of clean polls. This is not surprising given that his critics have often accused him of massive gerrymandering and even offering citizenship to foreign workers if they voted to keep his Umno-BN coalition in power.

Typical big-mouth Asian dad?

And in reminding Marina to be ‘sensitive’ for Mukhriz’s sake, Mahathir revealed his own insensitivity not only by putting his daughter’s interests lower than her brother’s, but also by blaring to the public that she had “no ambition”.

“She doesn’t care about what people think. I care about what people think. If not, I won’t get anywhere,” said Mahathir.

“Maybe it’s because she has no ambition so she speaks her mind. I cannot agree with the things she is doing, but nowadays you cannot tell your children ‘please stop this, please stop that’; they have a mind of their own.”

Marina is Mahathir’s eldest child and despite his current obsession in making sure Mukhriz lands the Kedah chief minister’s post, it is well-known that she is his favorite offspring and their father-and-daughter relationship enviably strong.

Nonetheless, it would be interesting to ask Marina what she thinks of her dad’s latest comments – has his thinking become antiquated with age or is he just another Asian dad, cherishing the sons as serious business and the daughters – mere decoration!

Malaysia Chronicle

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

False flag argument intended to ‘suck in’ those who fall for this nepotistic lot. Marina is playing ‘good cop’ for the Iskandar Kutty family. Mahathir Iskandar Kutty Jr plays bad cop. At the end of the day this is ANOTHER family bloc with Marina living comfortably off Mahathir’s corruption begotten wealth while the rest of the country struggles. Family is just that biased and this is why there are ethical concerns about family member infested parliaments – any family should know this and families in politics is just nonsense. Marina wins either way has already benefiteds off the taxpayers’ funds that Mahathir took – AND if the readers read on any headings in this blog about Marina, the readers will find that Marina is a crypto-racist who has withheld commitment of any clear word against apartheid along side cynical though well informed ‘top blogger’ RPK.

ARTICLE 20

No Reason For KLIA2 To Cost RM5 Billion – Friday, 06 July 2012 00:09

KUALA LUMPUR — Suggestions that KLIA2, the new low-cost terminal at Sepang, near here, will cost RM5 billion because of cost overruns appear to be misguided, say sources close to the project.

They said that costs could rise to RM5 billion if certain parties dictated terms to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to build additional facilities not in the current plan.

“As of now, everything is under control and the cost of construction will remain at RM3.9 billion,” said one of the well-placed sources.

On claims that the airport would not be completed by its deadline of April 2013, the sources said that construction was on schedule and it was not a question of whether the airport would be ready on time but whether the operators of low-cost airlines could get their act together by then.

It is understood that certain systems for the check-in counters have yet to be submitted to MAHB although the deadline was June 15 this year.

In addition, there are also questions whether facilities undertaken by other parties (not MAHB) like hotels and office buildings would be ready by the second quarter of next year.

The sources said KLIA2 could have been completed this year if not for last-minute requests by certain quarters which consequently extended the schedule.

They said that the costs had also gone up from the original RM2 billion because of requests for additional facilities.

Originally, KLIA2 was to be only a two-storey high building, but this has been increased to an equivalent of nine storeys for a three-level terminal comprising separate departure, arrival and ground support equipment areas.

This meant that the gross floor area of the terminal building has been increased by 71 per cent to 257,000 sq metres from the original 150,000 sq metres.

The sources said the KLIA2 would be the world’s largest purpose-built low- cost terminal with a capacity to accommodate 45 million passengers annually.

They said it was also being built at the lowest cost per passenger with aerobridges and enhanced passenger convenience.

“With the aerobridges, passengers need not walk on the apron anymore,” they added.

They said although industry standards dictated that 55 boarding gates would be sufficient to handle 30 million pasengers annually, MAHB had accommodated requests to increase the number of boarding gates to 68.

MAHB had also made provisions for a fully automated baggage handling system although there had been earlier requests for a non-fully automated one.

To cater for higher passenger traffic, MAHB had even drew up plans to accommodate the superjumbo Airbus 380 aircraft as well as premium lounges for enhanced passenger comfort.

Under its current construction plan, MAHB had also provided for the construction of four hotels and a public shopping mall next to the terminal.

(Bernama)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Greedy politicians and proxy middlemen, taking taxpayer monies to fill their pockets. And that terminal will not be of much more use because Malaysia is already not a very interesting place to visit and is also full of apartheid and occasional fundos. So please vote carefully for your MP and drop all the term limitless nepotists, rich businessmen or rich politicians and also fundos and apartheid racists who will continue stealing taxpayer’s money for themselves through crony contractors and use bumiputra apartheid to abuse citizens and control Malays with extreme Islam, oppress non-Malays with.

Lim Guan Eng’s description of MCA Duyong assemblyman Gan Tian Loo as “uneducated” as reported in Chinese dailies yesterday is regretful, as he is a representative of the people and is responsible for making inquiries on issue which need clarification in the state assembly. Obviously, the Penang Chief Minister was caught in a humiliating situation and is now confused and helpless.

DAP’s style has always been to criticise, create lies and to incite the people to be against the ruling party. MCA has never insulted the opposition party leaders by calling them “uneducated”. However, it is interesting the Guan Eng will label elected representatives who pose questions to him during the state assembly as “uneducated.”

DAP will always heavily publicise any events which are favourable to them by they themselves try to prevent others from questioning them and when an issue turns out to be bad for their publicity they will then impose gag orders. DAP constantly finds creative ways to ensure that they look good in the news, but never has MCA labeled them as uneducated.

Therefore, DAP’s double standard behaviour is such that when they bring up issues involving BN they will call it democratic, but when provoked by BN they will refer to us as uneducated.

In DAP’s eyes, MCA is always wrong. But within DAP itself, there have been dissatisfaction. One example is the resignation of Tunku Abdul Aziz, formerly DAP Vice-Chairman, who in a radio interview had said that Guan Eng had attempted to get him to stay with a new job with a RM50,000 salary. Tunku Aziz also claimed that he had found this move insulting and was the main factor as to why he had decided to resign as he is unable to work with Guan Eng anymore.

This so-called ‘uneducated’ person from DAP has now expressed disappointment with DAP, thus proving that MCA members have more restraint while Guan Eng and his fellow DAP comrades are quick to insult their own members who have left.

Guan Eng must be careful and not simply insult the elected representatives of the people who are only seeking the truth. The circumstances surrounding this incident must be clarified before the rumours will stop circulating.

TEE SIEW KIONG is MCA National Organising Secretary

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Uneducated is accepting a CM’s post without quorums that your father ‘gives’ you which rightfully belongs to the people and needs a quorum. Uneducated is accepting APARTHEID without demanding inequality. Uneducated is not keeping campaign promises. 3rd Force leads the way.

ARTICLE 22

Land Survey System Nonsense and Unprofessionalism in Malaysia

More sh1t cake responses for the sh1t eating CMs and the so-called professionals who want to partake of ‘the cake’ (Any ‘hungry’ professionals should insult PERKASA, maybe they will send sh1t cakes . . . ). This government has set such a bad example that the bottom feeders like the above types have a false sense of where they stand, and need to be taken out of the system. Perhaps I’d file a complaint, but will need to install a recording system on the phone (look out for future audio posts here online where first hand rudeness will be on display). Rude and greedy ‘professionals’ need to eat what they spew, and believe me, potty mouthed surveyors do not deserve business but probably would fawn and kiss a$$es of bigger sh1t eaters who expect this sort of ‘bodek’ thing . . . and we all know how fat and corrupted some of these shameless unethical ‘downlines’ can get. 2 tongues and attitudes, one for each wealth set, boycott the worst of the so-called ‘professionals’ . . .

Being a professional body, the ethics behind acceptance of all jobs profitable, or non-profitable (larger jobs have economy of scale but smaller jobs do not) IS professional conduct. Porfessionalism thus demands that service must be provided to all citizens especially for access to something as basic as land survey services – the system does not have recommended timeframes and fee structures based around the land value, so professionals are in fact licensed to profiteer rather than serve the people.

More mentally ill posing as sane behind uncontrolled systems that allow unreasonable fees badges of professionalism will be described today . . . an uncivil Mr. ‘Eat Sh1t K’ (a land surveyor who – speaks ‘officious ‘slick/slimy” and was named after the cuss term . . . probably aligned to our Sh1t Eating CM who knows . . . keep saying that favourite word ‘K’ and maybe someday K too will get sh1tcakes, and without needing to ask for 750K funerals . . . ) who insisted that the system was corrupt, and that Land Surveyors do not serve professionally if your land plot is not large enough. maybe K wanted to eat sh1t on behalf of the real sh1t eaters so threw that corupted mentality dead weight behind the term limiteless nepotists . . .

There must be legal provisions (which appear to be missing in Malaysia’s incomplete laws on registered profesional bodies) to protect and ensure access to such services for small estate holders as if the Land Survey Office does not allow unlicensed surveying and greedy among private Land Surveyors or other professionals are only interested in large jobs, ) is not something that the Rakyat in general is aware of or even needs to or is able or even properly positioned in a suitable socially fetted position (Malaysian value system is skewed so that none with the proper values are fetted somehow) to teach a supposed professional about. Professional bodies should understand the ethics behind this. Consider that when a neutral party person contacts a professional they expect not the face of blind greed, polarized politics but PROFESSIONALISM.

Others (one S.U.A. initialed company) were polite enough to decline outright (again still unprofessional but at least not ‘sh1t eating’ rude, this is not about money but about service) and being part of society and the only people doing such work Land Surveyors need to have laws that require Land Surveyors to charge according to the value of the land (not more than 1-2% at most, much like sales commission – they are merely sureying the land not even selling the land for you . . . ) regardless of the size – THAT would be professionalism – sickening 3rd worlders do not understand, sadly nor does the government which has not placed such requirements (much less understand or think about possibly) of ‘professionals’ to end up with a society favouring only ‘large jobs’ and making small holder’s lives impossible. Anything more than a sales agent’s 1-2% sales fee for survey is excessive. If a piece of land is worth 100K, charging 3K to 10K for demarcation or boundary stone laying is excessive. Timeframes for responses in Malaysia’s land offices btw are 3 mths, timeframes for demarcation and stone laying should be no more than 2 weeks to be reasonable, but in Malaysia we have cases going back 20 years . . . truly 3rd world.

One must be aware that in the land survey industry there are professionals that are propping up the apartheid system, intent on frustratiung the public at large with their ill inclined natures while hiding behind a professional’s status. Let’s put the whole issue this way, Professionals get the bulk of the cash from big player owners and by means of service and even at a loss provide the small owners the same service on cognizance that the profits from high paying large owners will outweigh the losses from (probably less cost effective, may not even be losses here) small owners overall. A professional does not pick and choose, a professional does ALL jobs and that is the basis for ‘professionalism’. Watch those little graduates who grow into the above nuisances that choke up society, identify the same and do not allow them to profit off the voters!

More ‘Malaysiana’, courtesy this time of the so-called ‘professionals’ among Malaysian Land Surveyors, no thanks to a Land Survey Office that does not survey so that the ‘professionals’ can abuse citizens with extreme fees and a lack of seperation of online and real life scenarios and behaviours . . . we learn more everyday, and again Malaysians and Malaysia does not fail to disappoint.

‘Not many women are prepared to make themselves unattractive just to get a laugh’: The world according to Morgana Robinson – By Louise Gannon – PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 9 June 2012 | UPDATED: 21:00 GMT, 9 June 2012

Luckily, she will do anything for a giggle – which is probably why her biting new TV impressions show, Very Important People, is such a hit
‘You have to be tough in comedy, and that puts a lot of men off you. I definitely scare men. Women are still finding our way in comedy but that makes it incredibly exciting for me,’ said Morgana Robinson

‘You have to be tough in comedy, and that puts a lot of men off you. I definitely scare men. Women are still finding our way in comedy but that makes it incredibly exciting for me,’ said Morgana Robinson
Success is massively important to me.

I had a fairly unconventional upbringing and I’m really driven and incredibly tough on myself. I drive everyone mad during filming because I’m the one checking all the time to see if something is funny. I’m a tough girl who was brought up by a very strong mother and I very definitely have a point to prove.
Women find it difficult to be funny.

There aren’t that many female comedians around because it’s a pretty odd career choice for a woman. The biggest issue is making yourself look unattractive to get a laugh. I don’t have a problem with that – the more vile and grotesque I look, the funnier I think it is. But a lot of women just aren’t up for that, because we’re meant to be beautiful. You have to be tough in comedy, too, and that puts a lot of men off you. I definitely scare men. Women are still finding our way in comedy but that makes it incredibly exciting for me.
Morgana as Adele. ‘I spend hours and hours watching someone before I even start,’ she said

Morgana as Adele. ‘I spend hours and hours watching someone before I even start,’ she said
I got my break in a restaurant.

I worked on reception at a very posh London restaurant called Roka, which was always packed with celebrities and very important people. I was there for eight years earning £37.50 a night for the 5pm-1am shift. I got to know a lot of the regular clients, and one night I gave a DVD to John Noel, who looks after Russell Brand. It was pretty awful, shot in my flat by my mate with me sitting on a sofa pulling faces and wearing different hats. But a few nights later he came in and said: ‘Quit your job. Start throwing rice around.’ That was it. I started out wanting to be an actress but it was the comedy that always had that real pull for me. I like making people laugh.
Scarlett Johansson can be rude but Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are sweethearts.

Working as the host of a flash restaurant gives you a real insight into how people behave. Scarlett Johansson was pretty offish and unpleasant to me, but whenever Brangelina came in they were always incredibly polite and friendly, and made sure they said thank you for any tiny thing I did for them. I met even more celebrities including Bono and Lily Allen when I was working checking coats at Matthew Freud’s Christmas party. I lost my cool a bit when Ronnie Ancona walked in because I’m such a massive fan, but she was lovely and gave me her number.
Fearne Cotton is a friend so I was very worried about impersonating her.

I did it for the first Very Important People show and after it aired on TV I didn’t hear from her for a few days. I was beside myself thinking I’d offended her, but then she just called and told me she thought it was funny. She’s very cool. I have no idea what Cheryl Cole or Helena Bonham Carter or Adele think of being ‘done’ in my new series. I spend hours and hours watching someone before I even start. I became completely obsessed with Helena Bonham Carter. I absolutely love her because I find her completely hilarious. I’d be mortified if she was offended by my impression.
I wanted to impersonate Kate Moss but I was told she wasn’t relevant any more.

I had some really hilarious sketches but I was banned from doing her because the producers didn’t think people would know who she was. It’s insane. Everyone knows Kate Moss. When I saw Russell Brand I told him I was doing him. He just sort of rolled his eyes and looked a bit puzzled. I don’t think it’s possible to offend Russell.
On Helena Bonham Carter: ‘I absolutely love her because I find her completely hilarious’

On Helena Bonham Carter: ‘I absolutely love her because I find her completely hilarious’
I went from living in poverty to going to one of the poshest boarding schools in Britain.

My parents met in Australia where I was born and then we came back to England and life was tough. I remember lots of arguments about money and then my parents split up. For a few years my mum and I were sleeping on sofas at friends’ houses. Then one day my lovely Aunt Jilly turned up and said she felt I ought to go to Benenden School in Kent. My dad has always been a real rogue. He was adopted and we didn’t know much about his past but it turned out he came from a very wealthy family. I thought the idea of boarding school was amazing. My mum was working for a gardening business at the time. I turned up in her bashed-up van as everyone else was piling out of Mercedes and Daimlers.
I learned to be funny at boarding school.

I wasn’t pretty – I had frog eyes and a giraffe neck – but I was the joker and I knew how to get attention. I didn’t worry about not being the prettiest. I was also fairly tough – probably too tough and ballsy for the quieter girls. Amazing to think that after leaving school I took a degree in sculpture.
I met a sister I never knew existed – and it turned out she was a rock star.

My dad was incredibly handsome as a young man and pretty wild. He just wasn’t cut out to be a conventional father. As I grew up I found out I had four half siblings from his previous relationships and we’ve slowly tracked each other down. When I was 21, I got a call from my dad. I hadn’t spoken to him for a year or so but he told me he’d found out my sister was in London and told me to go and buy The Face because she was on the front cover. And there she was – Brody Dalle, this tough, gorgeous rock star. It was pretty surreal. I went to the Brixton Academy to see her perform. I got completely drunk because I thought that was the only way to handle it. I went backstage and we were both just crying. It was sort of weird and beautiful and then she said: ‘We have the same nose.’ And we just talked. She has two gorgeous kids but she lives in LA and I’ve never been there. I guess it was all a bit like a scene from a film.
I learned to be a horse whisperer.

I spent time down in Cornwall with an amazing woman called Kate Mably and it was probably the most incredible time of my life. You get onto the ground with the horses, you learn to understand them and have this unbelievable communication with them. It was unforgettable.

‘Very Important People’ is on channel4.com/programmes/4OD; ‘The Morgana Show’ is out now on DVD

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

There are very few female versions of ‘Jackass’ or slap stick specialists. And far too many militant feminists who are merely fronting the hegelian dialectic establishment with a control agenda AGAINST men, while being controlled by ELITE MEN. What society gets is subverted menfolk who are easier to control and less likely to challenge the ELITE MALE establishment. Mid tier feminists should be very aware that democracy dies if their men do not challenge the ‘establishment’, controlled by MALE ELITE who control ELITE Feminists who influence feminists to weaken SOCIETY and CIVILISATION. You’re destroying everything and democracy as well by feminist actions you feminist fools! Taking out men is taking out democracy! The sickening and machiavellian reality of gender politics used by the ‘establishment’ to destroy democracy!

CAIRO- A mob of hundreds of men have assaulted women holding a march demanding an end to sexual harassment, with the attackers overwhelming the male guardians and groping and molesting several of the female marchers in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

From the ferocity of Friday’s assault, some of the victims said it appeared to have been an organized attempt to drive women out of demonstrations and trample on the pro-democracy protest movement.

The attack follows smaller scale assaults on women this week in Tahrir, the epicenter of the uprising that forced Hosni Mubarak to step down last year. Thousands have been gathering in the square this week in protests over a variety of issues – mainly over worries that presidential elections this month will secure the continued rule by elements of Mubarak’s regime backed by the ruling military.

Earlier in the week, an Associated Press reporter witnessed around 200 men assault a woman who eventually fainted before men trying to help could reach her.

Friday’s march was called to demand an end to sexual assaults. Around 50 women participated, surrounded by a larger group of male supporters who joined to hands to form a protective ring around them. The protesters carried posters saying, “The people want to cut the hand of the sexual harasser,” and chanted, “The Egyptian girl says it loudly, harassment is barbaric.”

After the marchers entered a crowded corner of the square, a group of men waded into the group of women, heckling them and groping them. The male supporters tried to fend them off, and it turned into a melee involving a mob of hundreds.

The marchers tried to flee while the attackers chased them and male supporters tried to protect them. But the attackers persisted, cornering several women against a metal sidewalk railing, including an Associated Press reporter, shoving their hands down their clothes and trying to grab their bags. The male supporters fought back, swinging belts and fists and throwing water.

Eventually, the women were able to reach refuge in a nearby building with the mob still outside until they finally got out to safety.

“After what I saw and heard today. I am furious at so many things. Why beat a girl and strip her off? Why?” wrote Sally Zohney, one of the organizers of the event on Twitter.

The persistence of the attack raised the belief of many that it was intentional, though who orchestrated it was unclear.

Mariam Abdel-Shahid, a 25 year-old cinema student who took part in the march, said “sexual harassment will only take us backward.”

“This is pressure on the woman to return home,” she said.

Ahmed Mansour, a 22 year-old male medical student who took part in the march, said there are “people here trying to abuse the large number of women protesters who feel safe and secure. Some people think it is targeted to make women hate coming here.”

“I am here to take a position and to object to this obscene act in society,” he said.

Assaults on women Tahrir have been a demoralizing turn for Egypt’s protest movement.

During the 18-day uprising against Mubarak last year, women say they briefly experienced a “new Egypt” taking place in Tahrir, with none of the harassment that is common in Cairo’s streets. Women participated in the anti-Mubarak uprising as leading activists, protesters, medics and even fighters to ward off attacks by security agents or affiliated thugs. They have continued the role during the frequent protests over the past 15 months against the military, which took power after Mubarak’s fall on Feb. 11, 2011.

But women have also been targeted, both by mobs and by military and security forces in crackdowns, a practice commonly used by Mubarak security against protesters. Lara Logan, a U.S. correspondent for CBS television, was sexually assaulted by a frenzied mob in Tahrir on the day Mubarak stepped down, when hundreds of thousands of Egyptians came to the square to celebrate.

In a defining image of the post-Mubarak state violence against women, troops dispersing a December protest in Tahrir were captured on video stripping a woman’s top off down to her blue bra and stomping with their boots on her chest, as other troops pulled her by the arms across the ground.

That incident prompted an unprecedented march by some 10,000 women through central Cairo in December in a show of outrage, demanding Egypt’s ruling military step down.

In contrast, the small size of Friday’s march could reflect the vulnerability and insecurity many feel in the square, which was packed with thousands of mostly young men by nightfall Friday. Twenty rights groups signed on to support the stand and hundreds more vowed to take part, according to the Facebook page where organizers publicized the event, but only around 50 women participated.

Sexual harassment of women, including against those who wear the Islamic headscarf or even cover their face, is common in the streets of Cairo. A 2008 report by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights says two-thirds of women in Egypt experienced sexual harassment on a daily basis. A string of mass assaults on women in 2006 during the Muslim feast following the holy month of Ramadan prompted police to increase the number of patrols to combat it but legislation providing punishment was never passed.

After Friday’s attack, many were already calling for another, much larger stand in the square against such assaults.

Another participant in Friday’s march, Ahmed Hawary, said a close female friend of his was attacked by a mob of men in Tahrir Square in January. She was rushed off in an ambulance, which was the only way to get her out, he said. After suffering from a nervous breakdown, she left Cairo altogether to work elsewhere in Egypt.

“Women activists are at the core of the revolution,” Hawary said. “They are the courage of this movement. If you break them, you break the spirit of the revolution.”

-dailystar.com.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

“Women activists are at the core of the revolution,” Hawary said. “They are the courage of this movement. If you break them, you break the spirit of the revolution.”

Tsk! Titch! How presumptuous. The fists and guns of the men who took up arms is the REAL core of the revolution. Women were NOT the courage of this movement, the courage was in EVERY MAN who cared about the country, not the women who did not storm and occupy Tahrir. None needs to break ‘them’ women, and the spirit of the revolution is NOT even from the women to begin with! This is why this who heckling and groping occured, to remind of what was real or not. Did the women think they would be able to face the camel riders? Only the men could. This is more a Western provocation for subversive feminism than anything else, to take control of Egypt via the women. An apology by all ungrateful and presumptuous women who think this way is in order. The real minority of women who could face the camel riders made up less than 3% of the overthrowers of Mubarak. How could any claim women to be the core of the revolution? This is also not the time for sex-assault rallies! Egypt still has Islamists and Junta running for election, do the women know what that means if their men vote wrongly?

Attackers overwhelming the male guardians and groping and molesting several of the female marchers in Cairo’s Tahrir Square though could have saved their own case by not acting in this manner. Perhaps they were making a message about modesty. And indeed there is something inappropriate about the whole event of marching especially when stability is so fragile . . .

ARTICLE 3

Nun’s book on masturbation slammed by Vatican

Pope Benedict XVI addresses cardinals in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican in 2009. The Vatican slammed a “sexual morality” book written by an American Catholic nun, warning believers to stay away from the tome which justifies masturbation, homosexuality and divorce. (AFP Photo/Tony Gentile)

The Vatican slammed a “sexual morality” book written by an American Catholic nun on Monday, warning believers to stay away from the tome which justifies masturbation, homosexuality and divorce.

Margaret Farley’s 2006 book “Just Love – A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics” “affirms positions that are in direct contradiction with Catholic teaching in the field of sexual morality,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Farley, a member of the Sisters of Mercy and professor emerita at Yale Divinity School, expressed support for a long list of sins in the eyes of the Church.

“Masturbation usually does not raise any moral questions at all. It is surely the case that many women have found great good in self-pleasuring… (which) actually serves relationships rather than hindering them,” she wrote.

On the issue of homosexuality, the prominent theologian said “same-sex relationships and activities can be justified according to the same sexual ethic as heterosexual relationships and activities” and “should be respected.”

She also said not all marriages could last and supported both divorce for people who are irrevocably unhappy together and remarriage with new partners.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which had been carrying out an investigation into the book, responded with a scathing criticism which tackled each of the issues Farley had raised.

It insisted that “masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action”, homosexual relations are “acts of grave depravity”, and “a marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power or for any reason other than death.”

“The Congregation warns the faithful that the book is not in conformity with the teaching of the Church. Consequently it cannot be used as a valid expression of Catholic teaching,” it said.

Last week the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the main US association of Catholic nuns, defended itself against CDF accusations of “corporate dissent” over the Church’s teachings, particularly concerning homosexuality.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

“same-sex relationships and activities can be justified according to the same sexual ethic as heterosexual relationships and activities” and “should NOT be respected.” – onlyin the Catholic denomination.

“masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action”, homosexual relations are “acts of grave depravity”, and “a marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power or for any reason other than death.” – onlyin the Catholic denomination.

This nun should join the Protestent denomination. Catholicism does not allow all of the above so please respect and don’t bother trying to change the Ctholics. The Vatican should just speak to the nearest highest ranking Protestant personality and ask the nun to declare herself no longer Catholic but protestant instead. No need to slam, just a curt letter to the wayward (by Catholic Church standards) and declaration of excommunication, and at most another to the Protestant faction to take the nun in (and also excommunication of Yale? for future Catholics?) . . . will do. Thats what they did in the past – excommunicate. The Spanish of course would torture the nun (maybe to death) with an Inquisitor, but those days are gone or at very worst apply total excommunication from all Church factions. The Catholic Church will be fewer in following and appear more fundo in these modern times, but while rules are rules, they can only be applied FOR THE CONSENTING members at least – with all false Catholics who do not believe, no matter how high in the hierarchy, no longer valid as members. Just don’t subvert or manipulate, declare beliefs and GTFO of the denomination!

NEW YORK — An Orthodox Jew who was weeks away from becoming a New York City police officer said he has been kicked out of the police academy for refusing to trim his beard.

Former recruit Fishel Litzman of Monsey was fired Friday after multiple confrontations with the department over the length of his whiskers, he told the Daily News (http://nydn.us/LDIivf).

Litzman is Hasidic and believes that cutting his beard is forbidden by God.

NYPD rules usually require officers to be clean-shaven. The department makes exceptions for beards kept for religious purposes, but even then only allows 1 millimeter worth of growth.

“I don’t understand what the problem would be,” Litzman said.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the department’s rules are reasonable and Litzman was aware of them when he signed up.

Litzman was first cited in January for his unkempt beard. He was a month away from receiving his shield when he was fired.

“I always wanted to be a police officer,” said Litzman, a 38-year-old father of five who speaks Hebrew and Yiddish and was once a paramedic.

His attorney, Nathan Lewin, said the police department knew when Litzman applied that he would not trim his beard.

And now, Lewin said, it’s a case of religious discrimination.

“We’re going to be deliberating and considering what the steps are that we’re going to take,” Lewin told The Associated Press on Saturday night.

The department hired its first Hasidic officer in 2006 and the force now has at least two dozen Orthodox Jewish officers.

Like observant Muslim and Sikh officers, Hasidic officers are allowed to keep their beards for religious reasons but must keep them neat and trimmed.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer issued a statement Saturday saying he was “deeply troubled” by the firing.

“While the NYPD can exercise control over the personal appearance of its force in order to ensure that all officers (are capable of performing their duties) havee a uniform appearance, they are also required to make a reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs,” Stringer said.

He urged the police commissioner to reconsider the case.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Token show of WH control over (at least NY state) Fed enforceable issues, or real autonomy from any Lobby and instead being America for Ammerica instead of ‘USA is Israel’s’ to order around? Jews incidentally were the remnants of Egypt’s Priesthood, and formed Judea under David in 1026 BC. With ‘Amon-Ra’ rebranded as the ‘YHVH form God’ which later Aramea (Xianity) and then Bedouins (Islam) copied and to this day fight over ‘franchise rights’ in several splinter groups each.

TWO ‘MEDIA’ JEWS who enjoy lavish exposure by the Jewish-controlled Press are gritting their teeth hoping to take a bite out of Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin.

In a feature OpEd of the Jew-dominated Financial Times, “Time To Blackball Russia’s Autocratic State,” (& Here), Ian Bremmer and Nouriel Roubini—both Jews—just can’t seem to satisfy the anti-Christ rats in their bellies in their malice toward Christian Russia.

Bremmer (founder of the Eurasia Group as a means of bringing Jewish hegemony over Eurasia) and Roubini (touted as an innovative economist) are calling for Russia to be “blackballed” and justify their wishful Jewish fantasy with a pack of Jewish lies:

“Corruption is endemic in Russia. Graft is a particular problem. Capital flight has reportedly accelerated since Putin’s re-election in March.

Russia’s population is falling – because healthcare is poor, socially driven diseases such as alcoholism is rampant, and well-educated Russians are leaving in search of better opportunities elsewhere.” View Entire Story Here & Here.

Indeed, a froth-full of lies spew forth from Bremmer’s and Roubini’s Jewish lips.

Contrary to their assertions, there is NO demographic crisis in Russia. The population of Russia has increased by one million since early 2011. In the first quarter of 2012, Forbes Magazine responsibly reports, Russia’s population grew by 31,000.

Yes, there was a crisis in the 90’s when the drunkard Yeltsin was in the hands of the Jewish oligarchs. But, this crisis has been gradually arrested.

BOTH PUTIN AND MEDVEDEV, (after 80 years of Jewish Bolshevik domination), are addressing corruption and graft issues.

Rumours of capital flight occurring since Putin’s re-election are exactly that, “rumours.” The rouble under Putin is actually being promoted by investment experts as the least risky investment.

And as regards “social diseases” such as alcoholism, Putin has revived the Orthodox Church; closed down all the casinos in Russia; taken over the Jew-owned TV stations and instituted religious programming; introduced Orthodoxy 101 into Russia’s public schools; forbidden “gay parades” — all of which are part of Putin’s efforts to stave off vice and immorality.

Moreover, for Bremmer and Roubini to heap praises upon communist China (a hundred times more repressive than Russia) while hell-bent on blackballing Russia for being an “authoritarian” state, one wonders if these Jewish ‘experts’ are simply blinded by their fear of Putin. For there is no man Jewry fears more than Vladimir Putin.

RUSSIA FOILS JEWRY’S AGENDA FOR SYRIA

BREMMER AND ROUBINI launched their smears against Putin by denouncing Russia’s opposition to a “humanitarian” intervention (Read: Jewish decimation of a sovereign nation) into Syria.

But Russia under Putin still has the last word with respect to Syria recommending to UN envoy, Kofi Annan, “an unbiased probe” of the murders in Houla.

Both Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and The Associated Press, stated that the 108 murdered in Houla were killed at close range—execution style—indicating the work of armed terrorists rather than the Syrian army.

But do you think this matters to Jewish Senator, Joseph Lieberman, Romney’s favorite pick for State Department head? No.

THIS BLOODTHIRSTY Jewish warmonger Lieberman who proposes “arming” the Syrian rebels is now calling for a US military intervention to dismantle Syria into competing militias and warlords to pave the way for a Greater Israel.

But Bremmer, Roubini, and their Synagogue buddy, Lieberman, can spout, demand and propose all they want.

For with Russia’s arms shipment and anti-terror troops newly arrived in Syria’s Port of Tartus and with Putin’s inauguration of the Nord Stream Pipeline—heating the homes and fueling the industries of an energy-starved Europe—Jewish fantasies to “blackball” Russia are no more than paper dreams.

And since it is moral integrity that these Jews are scorning, not only are they on the WRONG side of history but they’re on the RIGHT side of Hell.

Don’t joke Bro Nat. USA semi-worries about China, and China is semi-worried about Russia. All 3 mentioned nations are 100s of times larger than Israel and have militarizable citizens 10s to 1000s of times more than Israel or several times USA. Israel blackballs nothing. Russia and China which at least have sort of a working relationship and could together demand that USA blackballs Israel (which could be overrun by just Iran alone) instead, and USA would do that in a moment because USA is not a religious, much less Judaist state nor does USA really identify with the Middle Eastern culture. Israel should keep promises on 1960s treaties and punish wayward Jewish citizens who have overstepped treaties. Russia and China are somewhat chaotic and sparsely peopled overall even at such population levels, but given a protracted period of peace (say 2-3 decades at most), the 2 countries (even as of now and even if WW3 with nukes was declared) are already the winners in the earth conquest game.

Military mamas breast-feed with pride. A photo shoot at an Air Force base, intended to raise awareness about breast-feeding, has stirred up controversy. – by Pamela Sitt

Is breast-feeding while in uniform conduct unbecoming to a military mom?

The debate over nursing in public got a new layer recently, when photos taken on an Air Force base began to circulate online. In the series of tasteful professional photos showing beaming moms as they nurse their kids, one jumps out: the photo of two servicewomen with their uniform shirts unbuttoned and hiked up to breast-feed.

“A lot of people are saying it’s a disgrace to the uniform. They’re comparing it to urinating and defecating [while in uniform],” says Crystal Scott, a military spouse who started Mom2Mom in January as a breast-feeding support group for military moms and “anyone related to the base” at Fairchild AFB outside Spokane, Wash. “It’s extremely upsetting. Defecating in public is illegal. Breast-feeding is not.”
Live Poll

Should military moms breast-feed in uniform, in public?

It was Scott’s idea to ask photographer Brynja Sigurdardottir to take photos of real-life breast-feeding moms to create posters for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August. One of the moms photographed in uniform, Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, breast-feeds her 10-month-old twin girls on her lunch breaks during drill weekends as a member of the Air National Guard.

“I have breast-fed in our lobby, in my car, in the park … and I pump, usually in the locker room,” she says. “I’m proud to be wearing a uniform while breast-feeding. I’m proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breast-feed whether they’re active duty, guard or civilian.”

She said she’s surprised by the reaction to the photos, which also feature her friend Christina Luna, because it never occurred to her that breast-feeding in uniform would cause such a stir.

“There isn’t a policy saying we can or cannot breast-feed in uniform,” Echegoyen-McCabe says. “I think it’s something that every military mom who is breast-feeding has done. … I think we do need to be able to breast-feed in uniform and be protected.”

The Air Force has no policy specifically addressing breast-feeding in uniform, according to Air Force spokesperson Captain Rose Richeson, who added, “Airmen should be mindful of their dress and appearance and present a professional image at all times while in uniform.”

Brynja Sigurdardottir

Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, left, and Christina Luna breast-feed their children. Terran says she’s proud of the photo, though she didn’t expect it to get such a reaction.

Robyn Roche-Paull has been advocating for such a policy since she left the U.S. Navy 15 years ago. Her challenges in breast-feeding her son while on active duty – she recalls her “flaming red face” upon being reprimanded for nursing in a medical waiting room – prompted her to write a book called “Breastfeeding in Combat Boots” as a resource for military moms. She is now an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who remains close to the military through her active-duty husband and her blog for military moms.

“If you follow the comments on my blog, a lot of the comments are that the breast-feeding mothers are the ones who need to be covered up. Nobody sees anything wrong with bottle feeding mothers or fathers,” she says. “Asking mothers to feed a baby by bottle when they are together, simply because they are in uniform, can both affect the mom’s milk supply and her willingness to keep breast-feeding or stay in the military. It’s simply one more barrier they have to face.”

The criticism of the photo goes beyond the usual nursing-in-public debate, though. One commenter on Roche-Paull’s website who identified herself as a retired captain in the Marine Corps said she advocated for breast-feeding moms in the military and now, as a civilian, she nurses freely on base. However, she writes:

“I would never nurse in uniform. I took my child to the bathroom or a private office when her nanny brought her to me …. Not because I was ashamed of nursing, nor of being a mother. All the guys knew I pumped. The military is not a civilian job. We go to combat and we make life or death decisions, and not just for ourselves but for those we lead. The same reason I would never nurse in uniform is the same reason I do not chew gum, or walk and talk on my cell phone, or even run into the store in my utility uniform. … We are warfighting professionals. Women before us have worked too hard to earn and retain the respect of their male peers. I don’t want my Marines to look at me any other way than as a Marine. When I am asking them to fly into combat with me and do a dangerous mission, I do not want them to have the mental image of a babe at my breast. I want them to only see me as a Marine. Let’s be a realistic folks. We give up many freedoms being in the military…Breastfeeding in front of my fellow Marines was one of them.”

Another commenter on the blog replies:

“There is N-O-T-H-I-N-G more authoritative than a strong mother standing tall breastfeeding as she barks orders. It’s AWESOME that you’ve worked so hard promote breastfeeding, but I think you *might* be selling yourself short.”

The women in the photo have given some thought to the whole question of military versus maternal duties. To those who believe breast-feeding in uniform undermines the authority of a female officer, Echegoyen-McCabe says:

“I guess my thoughts are, if you don’t want to breast-feed in your uniform, you don’t have to. But you should have respect for those who do. … If anything, it should make people look at you as someone who is able to multitask.”

What do you think? Sound off on our TODAY Moms Facebook page.

Pamela Sitt is a champion multitasker who lives in Seattle. She blogs about motherhood on her website, http://www.clarasmom.com.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

“There is N-O-T-H-I-N-G more authoritative than a strong mother standing tall breastfeeding as she barks orders. It’s AWESOME that you’ve worked so hard promote breastfeeding, but I think you *might* be selling yourself short.”

A thought provoking manly attack on manhood will be countered by a thought provoking feminine defense of feminity.

Appropriate clothes for appropriate activity please F-R-E-A-K-S. These are MILITARY work clothes. Much like smokers who forgot the ‘Smoking Jacket’, or Sunday (or whatever day) Best for days of worship. Uniforms for the heat of battle will be weakened by ‘milkmaid’ energies. Please dress appropriate to the activity. Swaddling smocks and maternity robes for nursing or pregnant mothers respectively, or this is just another display of fashion philistinism under guise of feminism, counter-sumptuary feminism to be precise. The use of the word barking also alludes to literal bitches, what that means, I leave to the overripe imagination and self anointed ‘Feminist Inquisitors’ to butcher themselves or the writers over . . .

There is a a time and place and context, though of course there should also be no rules on the above if the female soldiers *really want to*. If they want to be wetnurses so badly, just join the maternity industry or ‘milk producing’ industry instead. The stereotype of ‘hard’ or ‘dry’ butch women in military is as bad a stereotype to promote as a woman nursing in combat uniform. Baby’s little soul would be wondering if mom was going to war or is a MAN. Out of Context. Inappropriate and UNCIVILISED! Next thing we know, American female soldiers will be torturing prisoners with sprayings of colostrum, or did that already happen at Abu Gharaib like places . . .

One commentator had the entire view right, though not in the clothes appropriateness or spiritual angle but the commonsense one

. . . Let’s be realistic folks. We give up many freedoms being in the military…Breastfeeding in front of my fellow Marines was one of them.”

ARTICLE 7

Sex harassment shock: One-third of women have considered quitting work over sexism – Monday, 28 May 2012 13:05

Half of women workers are being harassed on a daily basis, including being the butt of chauvinist jokes and hearing sexist remarks.

And 40% have been touched in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, such as a slap on the bottom or hand on the thigh, a poll of 3,434 female employees said yesterday.

It also found 27% have been kissed despite spurning advances, 66% have had inappropriate comments about their clothes from the boss or other males, and 46% react by dressing down for work.

Shockingly, 33% have considered quitting and 25% suffered mental and physical health problems as a result.

“Women have to run a gauntlet of inappropriate workplace behaviour every day.

“Hundreds of thousands suffer discrimination of some kind, and half of those we spoke to said they didn’t know where to go for help.”

-mirror.co.uk

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

‘Collared’ workers of any type (later leashed with neck ties at office level – which is what neck ties are – unbeknownst to the conformist masses, (even white collar types are just dogs to the boss owner elite and unsuspecting supporters of the ‘Education-Debt Financier Complex’ – you’ll know who these parasites are by their stand on free tertiary education issues), especially lower ranked or younger ones, and are automatically objectified. The uniform itself another objectifying form (to avoid if one has that luxury). Uniforms have a life of their own (spiritually and symbolically speaking) and combined with collar and tie, you end up with a leashed ‘Dog (or Beast) of War’.

Talking to the SUIT, not the person! The soul of humanity in these people though, returns AFTER WORK HOURS, schizophrenia if anything, especially in those who do not identify with or choose their work consciously from sheer lack of choice (any who have the luxury to dissociate from the above nonsense that is ‘life’ are privileged, other issues not withstanding. . . ). Finally women who cannot get married do not gain the same kind of respect as home makers, with home makers WITH hired help especially privileged (domestic abuse issues either of wife or servant, physical, psychological or emotional, notwithstanding) and the concept of ‘mothers’ and ‘homemakers’ being an eternal classic.

Anaheim, California (CNN) – It feels odd to be in a car sat next to a guy texting a pimp. Even more odd, he’s pretending to be a prostitute. It can all get a little strange in the digital pursuit of human traffickers.

I’m sitting in the front seat of an SUV in a part of Orange County, California only the locals see – where the hotels are not chains and have names that cops and criminals alike know well. The “prostitute” beside me is actually Sergeant Craig Friesen.

Nearby, either parked or patrolling, are four other vehicles holding the rest of his undercover team.

Earlier, we saw a pickup truck in a parking lot across the street approaching several women. The guy wasn’t having much luck – which was too bad since he was on Friesen’s crew.

Over the radio the detective relayed that after propositioning one lady she did offer a sex act – telling him he should go F$@# himself.

It’s an example of how prostitution can bring down a neighborhood, making it so a woman can’t go to the store without being harassed by some john who’s looking for sex.
Click to watch video

Despite the area being known for the sex trade, things are slow. Either the team’s cover was known or it was an off day. Every business has them.

Then the undercover cop in the pickup gets lucky. He picks up a petite African American girl wearing blue patterned shorts and top. They drive off and we fall in behind trailing at a distance in the noon hour traffic.

Out of nowhere a black and white police car pulls in behind the pickup. The lights flash, the “whoop, whoop” sounds and the pickup is pulled over. Friesen guns the SUV, roaring past the scene and into a nearby alley.

We get out and head back to what appears to be a busted undercover operation but the sergeant’s not upset – this is all part of the plan.

Friesen has the girl take a seat on the curb as the patrol car blocks her from passing traffic. He comes down to her level and begins the most important part of the whole operation – he needs to earn her trust and her confidence.

He begins by explaining she’s not under arrest. It’s in keeping with the new attitude of law enforcement that prostitutes are victims, controlled and manipulated by their pimps. They are caught up in the worldwide plague of human trafficking. And they try to help the victims escape.

Friesen is trying to get the woman to turn her pimp in. Eventually, Friesen tells her, she will be brought back to police headquarters and placed in the care of social services, who will offer her a place to live and a way off the street so she’s not dependent on the pimp for her needs.

The young woman listens but doesn’t buy it. She stays silent. Eventually Friesen gives up and she is taken away. But the sergeant has hung on to her cell phone.
Click to watch video

He sees texts on the phone that appear to come from her pimp, and he responds as if he is the woman. Which is how I came to be seated in an SUV in Anaheim with a prostitute, um, pretend prostitute.

Since her guy thinks she’s gone off with a client, Friesen waits a while, then sends the message that the client left her at a hotel and she needs the pimp to pick her up. He gives the location as a hotel Friesen and his team have already staked out.

A reception committee of several armed officers waits inside the hotel, other spotters are nearby, and Friesen and I are parked across the street as he continuously sends messages to the pimp. “He left come get me.”

Then there’s a problem.

The pimp texts back he wants her to call him which, of course, Friesen can’t do. He quickly improvises and texts back the phone has a problem: “My phone trippin'” and she can only text.

He knows it’s a weak ploy… But what else can he do? The fingers still fly and the digital conversation goes on, but it becomes pretty clear the pimp is suspicious.

The team continues to wait, but after an hour the pimp’s a no-show and the texts stop coming. The operation is finally called off.

Months later, through phone records and surveillance, they finally turn this virtual conversation into a real arrest.

But although they think they have the man who they suspect is forcing a young woman into prostitution, the district attorney’s office doesn’t find enough evidence to make charges stick, and the man is let go.

The end result is something Friesen and his team have grown to accept. A young woman was pulled off the street and offered the opportunity for help. Sometimes that’s all you can hope for.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Some of these prostitutes are there of their own volition, and are not being victimised at all, in fact are USING pimps or madams as sales agents and promoters of sorts, because the prostitute does not like to haggle over prices, or because some patrons lose interest in the prostitute when they talk money (bargaining excessively creates bad feelings) with the sex worker.

Also the net effect can be that the pimp or madam gets to be the ‘bad cop’ which improves the quality of sex for some patrons in fact because the prostitute seems so much more ‘good cop’ later on etc.. Communications can be that nuanced, and this is not even the entire gamut of pimp/madam, prostitute, customer relations! The conversation about money for the above example can de-objectify the sex worker and spoil the mood of the hirer.

In either case, the adult services industry has many shades of grey, the issue of non-consensual sex workers or sex workers USING pimps and madams rather than being forced by the pimp or madam is the main one enforcement must understand, with sex work per se best given a proper place (a designated street or district) for sexworkers to work from with their promoters and also adult establishments to work from or at certain times suitable for adult activities.

Editor’s Note: CNN Freedom Project this week is reporting from the front lines in the fight against sex trafficking – not in the poverty-stricken developing world but in affluent Orange County near Los Angeles, where prostitutes are now treated as trafficking victims rather than criminals.

Billy Dowd is a man looking for hookers, and he doesn’t care who knows it!

He’s also seeking ex-convicts, drug dealers, prison guards and junkies — or anyone who could convincingly portray them on the big screen. That’s because the Scituate casting agent is in charge of hiring extras for the currently untitled “Cop Buddy Comedy” starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa

McCarthy that begins shooting in Boston in late July.

“They don’t have to be real,” Dowd told the Track. “Although they could be real hookers and drug dealers, I don’t care. I’m looking for realism! I need people who can realistically portray them and there are going to be a lot of those types in this film.”

Dowd is also seeking extras to be cops, FBI agents and detectives, prison inmates, “ladies of the evening,” (which wethinks are hookers again) and “energetic and attractive party people.”

The comedy, directed by Paul Feig, who also called the shots for Melissa in “Bridesmaids,” is about a high-strung FBI agent, played by Bullock, who teams up with “an unconventional Boston cop.” Hilarity, as you know, will ensue.

Dowd is holding a casting call later in the month, but if he doesn’t get what he’s looking for there, he’s been known to go to extremes to find the right people for the roles.

“The next step would be to go to groups and organizations where we can find what we’re looking for, you know, like the HOA, Hookers Of America,” he joked.

“When I was casting ‘American Gangster’ in Thailand I actually had to go to those bars where the girls dance, you know, and negotiate with the madame, ‘I’m taking seven girls, how much?’ That’s how I go at it and that’s how we did the bar scene with Denzel Washington.”

Interested in showing Dowd your stuff? Head for the Boston Teachers Union Hall in Dorchester from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 23. Bring a head shot and a pen, because people keep stealing Billy’s.

“No kids!” he insisted. “It’s only for people over 18. Don’t bring your kids because I’m not going to look at them!”

File Under: He’s Gonna Make You A Star.
Inside Track – June 15, 2012:

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Wealth distribution instead of enrichment of already wealthy actors and actresses! Organic casting and sharing the wealth will be better than fakes. Also some people who might have died of starvation or cold could get to retire in reasonable conditions EVEN as opposed to giving some Joe

Publics a chance, the needs basis of the worst off among people is far more serious. Dowd should always consider that when deciding which person gets that lifeline and which person needs or would appreciate that more. A person with a job or another who might die if they didn’t get cast. Have a heart Dowd. How one feels about the underdog when in a position to do something determines a certain whos who . . . heres rough outline of a bill on a state controlled, perhaps contractor privatizable take on pensions for Adult Industry Workers based around a 401K basis :

Required work ‘output’ for employees
– 8 hour day. 8 ‘contact’ per hour AND 8 ‘full’ service sessions / day / 16+ (or on a biological/psyche test, recommended study material and test completed basis) only
– double sessions lower required work time by half
– alternatively 1 film per month

2 out of 4 selectable shifts (on condition someone fills in, are selectable and rotatable. And with meal breaks) otherwise if insufficient manpower will be required to follow any roster assignment of 2 shifts.

100K gratuity for incall contracts for 10 year period LMC limit imposed (this is not to discriminate but rather to discourage prostitution as a major profession)
250K gratuity for incall contracts for 20 year period ULC limit imposed
401K gratuity for incall contracts for 30 year period MLC limit imposed

1) Clients wishing to use RLD need to undergo health check before being allowed access to RLD. Sex workers wishing to work in RLD also need to undergo health check before being allowed access to RLD.
2) sex workers should not marry unless formally retired

Fun is fun, but even sex workers do need to retire, so instead of being all brimstone and hellfire, upper-class/bureaucrat queasy, or too arrogant to engage the supposed ‘low lifers’ who do keep the night scene going and adding a pulse of life to the city, the state needs to step in to ensure adult workers are safe and catered for in old age as any citizen, even as the more fundo or ill regulated of countries need to formalise adult industry districts or zones.

Here’s an example of ‘Bureaucrat Queasy’ (well in this case maybe doubles, ‘Muslim Queasy’ as well . . . )

Works are a right of humanity, regardless of the type. I hear Malaysia has been banning lots of books? Is quasi fundo in mindset? Is apartheid in application of law and constitution. Telling free citizens of the world to ‘Produce Works That Do Not Violate Morals, Ethics’, is sooo ‘weaksauce’ undemocratic . . .

Our informative friends at CNSNews.com discovered that the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse (NIAA) has been awarded $2.6 million U.S. tax dollars to help train Chinese prostitutes to “drink responsibly on the job.”

It’s heartwarming that the NIAA cares so deeply about China’s FSWs (that is university speak for whores — Female Sex Workers), and all, but what of American prostitutes?

Dr. Xiaoming Li, the lead leading this program at Wayne State School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan told CNSNews that his work is “potentially of great importance” as

“Previous studies in Asia and Africa and our own data from FSWs [female sex workers] in China suggest that the social norms and institutional policy within commercial sex venues as well as agents overseeing the FSWs (i.e., the ‘gatekeepers’, defined as persons who manage the establishments and/or sex workers) [we call those pimps in the real word – ed] are potentially of great importance in influencing alcohol use and sexual behavior among establishment-based FSWs,” says the NIH grant abstract submitted by Dr. Li to create a better world for those Chinese “FSWs.”

“Therefore, in this application, we propose to develop, implement, and evaluate a venue-based alcohol use and HIV risk reduction intervention focusing on both environmental and individual factors among venue-based FSWs in China,” as a “community-based cluster randomized controlled trial,”. Dr. Li is all concerned that alcohol plays an important part of spreading HIV infections in China and he prostitution and sexual work in China and USA can be a safer, more fun career choice.

Sex workers in China like to get drunk though that some like being treated like animals does not have any relation to drinking. Some do get drunk as they are not really interested in the work. Both the purveyor and the customer and should have awareness of alcoholism in women cast in the role of a commodity, so that a sex workers will be worth more than the momentary sexual release that she can facilitate.

Cleverly Obama becomes the president of Chinese hookers . . . though a proper pension and properly assigned space as earlier suggested for sex work should be formalized. All sorts of new and interesting powers in the penumbra of the Constitution, are being found that invariably bring USA and China closer together, even in something as simple as education about alcohol for sex workers.

**UPDATE**

The grant went out in November 2007 so, Obama is not responsible for this funding. Bush is. So at least one thing was done to better relations during the Bush warmonger years. Consideration to issues asian prostitutes face. Dr. Li Xiaoming is aware enough that with this sort of acceptable fringe issue, in sufficient quantity, nations can become closer though not obviously so. Bush an extreme strategist? Can’t imagine . . . maybe some obscure bureau did the above on their own, kuudos in either case . . .

Editor’s note: Davinder Kumar is an award-winning development journalist who works for children’s rights organization Plan International.

Five-year-old Aliya thinks it is a game she must master quickly to be a winner. From the time she wakes up, until she goes to bed, Aliya watches her mother and all the girls and women in her neighborhood consumed in a frantic race: Making beedis – traditional hand-rolled Indian cigarettes.

To create each beedi, the maker painstakingly places tobacco inside a dried leaf sourced from a local ebony tree; tightly rolls and secures it with a thread; and then closes the tips using a sharp knife.

For anything between 10 and 14 hours, regardless of how long it takes, Aliya’s mother and others must all roll at least 1,000 beedis to earn a paltry sum of less than $2 a day, paid by the middleman.

The beedi manufacturers, however, make billions of dollars.

The cigarettes are taken to the warehouses of large manufacturers, where they are packaged before being sold in the market for a much higher price.

Beedis are so popular that they make for nearly half of India’s entire tobacco market. but, behind the country’s unorganized domestic tobacco sector lie invisible millions trapped in modern day economic slavery.

Assembly line of workers

In Aliya’s town of Kadiri in Andhra Pradesh alone, hundreds of families have for generations relied on beedi rolling as their only means of survival.

The labyrinthine, congested lanes of Kadiri slums are home to an assembly line of humans functioning like robots: Young girls and women alike can be seen rolling cigarettes in groups out in the open. Some sway, some rock back and forth appearing entranced, while others have developed odd muscular motions as they push their work speed to the edge of human limits.

For most, if they do not roll enough beedis every day there simply will not be food on the table.

“The pressure to keep up with the speed and meet the target is so intense that many skip their meals and even avoid drinking water so they do not need to go to the toilet,” says Shanu, a community volunteer.

Almost all beedi workers in Kadiri, like the other beedi manufacturing pockets in India, are female and a large of number of them young girls.

Aliya has already started her lessons early and is practising rolling beedis using cuttings of plain paper. “I want to roll beedis and give money to my mother,” she says.

A study released nearly three years ago estimated a scandalous number of over 1.7 million children are working in India’s beedi rolling industry. Children are knowingly engaged by manufacturers due to belief that children’s nimble fingers are more adept at rolling cigarettes.

Hazardous work

Under Indian law, beedi rolling is defined as hazardous work, but a loophole means children who help their parents in their work fall outside the legal framework.

“Formally, it is the women who take on the orders from the contractors,” says Anita Kumar of Plan India. “However, behind the scenes, the pressures these women face in terms of delivering on huge volumes, invariably children, mainly girls, get pulled into this to support their families in beedi rolling.”

As part of its global “Because I am a Girl” campaign, children’s rights organization Plan International has started a program focused on girl child labor in Andhra Pradesh, including girls involved in beedi making. The project will collectively impact 1,500 girls over 3 years. Children trapped in beedi work will need a rescue effort on a much larger scale.

“We are aiming to create a model by working with communities and the local government structures ensuring that children are prevented from falling into this cycle of labor,” says Kumar.

From unhealthy living conditions to exploitative wages, slave-like working conditions and severe health consequences – the situation of beedi workers involves violation of their fundamental rights and freedoms on many levels. The majority of girls are pulled out of education by the time they complete primary school to support their families’ income.

The youngest of four siblings, 11-year-old Salma dropped out of school last year when she had completed grade 4.

“I wanted to continue going to school but we are very poor and have been struggling to pay the rent,” she says as she struggles to draw breath.

Trapped in economic slavery

Salma is suffering from jaundice and is so frail she can barely sit up straight. Yet, she is tasked with rolling up to 1,500 beedis a day to support her family. Squatting on the floor, hunched, she rolls cigarettes for over 12 hours every day and still earns just over two dollars.

In addition to jaundice, Salma has also developed a ringworm infection on her wrist, common in the area due to poor hygiene and sanitation. She is in dire need of medical attention but visiting local hospital means a day off work due to long queues and a day’s wages to pay for transport – her parents cannot afford either.

The health impact on beedi workers is visible on all age groups. Tuberculosis, asthma, body pain and postural problems related with hips and joints are most common.

Continuous beedi rolling leads to absorption of high doses of nicotine directly through skin. The skin on the children’s fingertips begins to thin progressively, and by the time they reach their 40s they cannot roll cigarettes any more.

Mahboobjaan, a mother of three girls, is in her mid-30s and is already losing sensation in her hands. ”My hands often swell up. I don’t know what I will do if I can’t roll beedi anymore,” she says.

The worst thing for beedi workers is the feeling that there is no protection, no welfare, no state support. They vote but have no power or effective representation. For all development indicators they remain at the bottom of the ladder all their lives.

And among them, the girls suffer the most. Throughout their life cycle their basic rights are violated; as children, as child brides, as young mothers, they continue to fight for survival with extreme labour and economic slavery.

In summer as the temperatures reach 45 degrees Celsius, the streets of Kadiri are engulfed in a stifling cloud of tobacco dust. Infants play among heaps of tobacco leaves.

Covered in a pool of sweat, young girls roll beedis with their eyes transfixed on their tobacco tray. Older women, who can no longer roll beedis themselves, help by trimming the ebony leaves. The work continues till late in the night just to secure the next day’s meal and to keep a roof above the workers’ heads.

The next morning, and for almost every morning for the rest of their lives, it is exactly the same story: The breathless race to 1,000 starts all over again with a single beedi.

[The children’s names have been changed].

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Wealth distribution issues here. Suggest that a ‘Wealth Distribution for Welfare Deductible‘ is imposed on the distribution network at each stage of the supply chain at a level (maybe 10%-30% levies per stage of supply chain to be released after a set period? How many ruppees is that over a lifetime or per month to allow retirement at comfortable middle class by age 55 for example?) to ensure the professional beedi makers have a reasonable quality of life. If beedi making conditions are too harsh or labour intense, the industry will get a bad reputation and the workers will try to leave the industry, with continuity of the industry dependent on India’s poverty and by extension the sub-conscious desire of beedi smokers to want cheeper bidis and thus subconsciously keep India poor in a vicious psychic, psychological undercurrent that keeps India from raising the status of India’s poorest.

Call him Jesse “The Mind” or Jesse “The Body” Ventura, the former pro-wrestler and Minnesota governor talks to me about his latest book, “DemoCRIPS and ReBLOODicans”, crazy tax policies, and why he’s more Occupy than Tea Party.

Monday afternoon, two p.m. in Minneapolis, three p.m. in New York. On the phone with Jesse Ventura.

Kenneth Rapoza: I’d recognize that voice anywhere.

Jesse Ventura: [chuckles, signature Jesse] It’s a hard one to miss. Good to talk with you today, Ken.

KR: This morning on The Takeaway, Joseph Stiglitz was talking about income inequality and the growing inequality of opportunity in the U.S. You’re a Vietnam vet. Are we more divided now than we were then, at least politically speaking?

JV: We were more divided then. The true turning point as a nation was when the National Guard shot four students dead at Kent State. We’re divided, but they haven’t shot anybody since.

KR: Would you send your kids to war today?

JV: I’d be a conscientious objector. You’re going to war for corporations, not for people. Smedley Butler, a general in the Marine Corp., said that about our interventions in Central America. It’s a very well known critique about U.S. wars.

KR: I’ve heard it many times. But there’s a different kind of division now, not just politically right and left. We’re seeing a class division creep in. The rich really are getting richer — way richer in fact — and the middle class are definitely getting poorer. I was surprised to see, but you write a lot

about that in your book. You’re a one percenter. What’s it all look like to you in Minnesota?

JV: Well, for one, our property values have dropped by over 20% but my property taxes haven’t. Why is it that our homes are worth less and middle class Minnesotans are worth less but are property taxes aren’t coming down?

KR: I don’t know. You tell me. You were the governor.

JV: Not anymore. And I don’t miss it one bit. That’s all policy decisions at the state level. I gave taxes back when I was governor. They can’t even balance their budget and its state law to do so. You know where our taxes go?

KR: Let me guess.

JV: Well, a lot of it went to bailout out banks and the rich. During the last Great Recession or whatever you want to call it, I’ll have to quote the Wall Street protesters, the 99 percent lost money. But the rich made money. They got wealthier thanks to policies that helped them get wealthier. They didn’t get wealthier because they are smart investors.

KR: You’re right about that. Even Citi says so.

JV: You want to hear something funny about taxes?

KR: Is that a joke, like a Polish man walks into a bar?

JV: No. But it’s laughable. I’m learning to paddleboard. In Minnesota you need to get a license to paddleboard because the board is over nine feet long. So you have to pay a fee. And you have to wear a life jacket.

JV: If I showed up with a life jacket to protect me from the wake of a boat that’s maybe a foot high I’d be laughed out of the lake. This is the stuff politicians can agree on. These are the kinds of policies we the people get.

KR: They must have hated you in Minnesota. An independent who doesn’t have to raise money because getting publicity for you isn’t a problem.

JV: I’m one of the few people who actually made money as governor. I spent less money to get elected than I earned. Everyone else pays a million dollars to get paid a hundred and twenty grand. When I was governor, I was up against both parties and they vetoed me all the time. On that front they were united. They vetoed my balanced budget because they thought it would make my re-election bid less likely for the voters so they could turn to one of the two gangs again. But I didn’t run. That surprised them. And now they have around a $5 billion deficit, worse than Wisconsin.

KR: What do you think about [Wisc. governor] Scott Walker?

JV: I think he beat [Tom] Barrett because he had more money. Whoever gets the most bribe many can put the ads on TV. And now with Citizens United and SuperPACs unleashed, these groups can lie about their favorite candidate and the politician isn’t held responsible for the content. I think every politician should wear a NASCAR race suit at this point.

KR: Why’s that?

JV: You know how the NASCAR race suits all have the ads stitched on them from the driver’s sponsors? Politicians should wear that too so we can see who owns them. It’s laughable what we have turned our elections into today, where bribery is okay. We should only put candidates names on

the ballot without their party affiliation so people will have to actually know the candidate. They make it too easy today. You don’t have to know the candidate’s name. You just go in and vote for a party.

KR: What do you think of Karl Rove? Guy’s like the king of secret funding operations.

JV: I think he’s a chicken hawk. He leads from the rear, not from the front. Likes to send kids to war. Know how to tell if a war is justified? If you’re willing to send your kids to fight it. If you’re only willing to send someone else’s it’s not justified. I’m 60 years old now and we have been at war somewhere half of my adult life, and I’m not even including the war on drugs.

KR: Should we legalize drugs?

JV: Yes. The Beatles wrote the greatest album in history [Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band] high on LSD. Anna Nicole Smith died by overdosing on prescription drugs from big pharmaceutical companies. I’m not saying you legalize crack. Why not legalize marijuana. You can make biodiesel from it, and start using corn for food instead of ethanol.

KR: I was impressed with all your foot notes in the book. How long did it take you to write this thing?

JV: Four months in Mexico. I have a house down there in Baja. It’s where I can concentrate. No TV. Totally off the grid. I’m solar powered.

KR: Wow! I didn’t know that Jesse “The Body” was a pot smoking latte liberal. You probably drive a Prius.

JV: No, I drive a twin turbo Porsche 450 horse power all wheel drive six speed. I don’t even have a cell phone because when you’re driving that thing you want to concentrate on the ride.

KR: Okay. What about this: Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street?

JV: Occupy Wall Street definitely.

KR: Why?

JV: Tea Party is owned by the Koch brothers. The grassroots supporters of the Tea Party will never get what they want, unless they think lower corporate taxes and oligarchy are the answers to their prayers. Occupy is still marginally independent. I attended a Minnesota Occupy rally five different times. I handed out hand warmers. At the time, we were cheering on the Arab Spring protesters and pepper spraying our own protesters at home. Park ordinance didn’t allow them to even have generators at night to keep them warm. But there was one generator that was allowed to run, and that was the one that was powering the surveillance camera that was keeping an eye on them.

KR: Occupy seems to be weakening. They don’t have the monied interests behind them. Is the Tea Party relevant anymore?

JV: I think they are still relevant. They got a lot of people elected, but they are not the answer.[For the answers, go buy his book.]

KR: What’s your political future?

JV: None. People ask me to run again. I’d rather be surfing in Mexico for four to five months a year.

KR: That sounds much better. I think every ex-President would agree with that. Let’s change the subject. What happened with “Conspiracy Theory”? [Jesse’s show on TruTV.]

JV: Finished eight episodes in November but it ain’t on. No start date. It’s still sitting there in production at TruTV. I’ll be surprised if they even put them on. This would have been our third season.

KR: Is there a conspiracy against Jesse Ventura?

JV: I don’t know.

KR: I have to say that if someone ever told me at 15 that I would one day be talking to Jesse “The Body” Ventura, I wouldn’t believe it. Wrestlemania was a show!

JV: I did six of ‘em. Man, that was a long time ago.

KR: [starts to crack up with childhood memories] I remember one Wrestlemania, you’re on the floor giving play by play with Bobby “the Brain” Heenon and there’s “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan with his two-by-four in the air, his tongue hanging out, looking like a mess [Jesse starts to remember, starts

to laugh] and you’re like, ‘Look at that guy, just look at that snot hanging out of his nose.’ The way you emphasized the word ‘snot’. It was hilarious to every teenage and tweenage boy in America. Me and my brother are still talking about it and we’re in our thirties.

JV: Vince McMahon [the brains behind the World Wrestling Federation, as if any reader didn’t know that] was the P.T. Barnum of the century. Hey, one time I went back stage and was telling Koko B. Ware the stuff I was going to say about him during the show. I did that all the time so the wrestlers wouldn’t get upset. We were all friends, ya know. So I say on the air that the B in his name stood for Buckwheat, because he was Buckwheat’s grandson. And I got in trouble for that. That was the first time I was really ever censored for saying something like that and ironically, Eddie

Murphy was doing his Buckwheat character on Saturday Night Live and Buckwheat was on the earliest show to ever showcase a racially diverse neighborhood, but it came from a white guy so it was banned and I was scolded for it.

KR: Oh well, live and learn.

JV: I hope Americans learn. I’ve been telling them this about their government for the past 10 years.

KR: You’re not alone. I think it’s clicking in now.

JV: Yeah. I think you’re right.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

If the state of Minnesota having a 5 billion debt has them squealing over there like little girls, just think how a country a fraction the size like Malaysia with so many times the population has over half a trillion in debt would do.

USA : 9.830,000 million square kilometers (debt 15 Trillion) 30 times more debt with a population/land ratio 10 times less crowded (larger distributable land base which politicians have selfishly not effected)

Malaysia : 0.329,758 million square kilometers (debt 0.5 Trillion) 30 times less debt but 30 times smaller with a population/land ratio 3 times more crowded (smaller distributable land base which politicians have selfishly not effected)

Malaysia is as deep in debt and doing far worse than USA by a size to population ratio consideration, and guess who the 1% ters are? Run for election as president Jesse. Somehow the people around the world are too stupid or afraid to consider private candidacy, these hegelian dialectic (http://dont-tread-on.me/?tag=hegelian-dialectic) idiots have made independent thought impossible and since you are well placed with sufrficient cash to at least make the attempt through an internet campaign at least, how about giving 3rds Force a REAL voice in USA to inspire the rest of the pond scum nepotist oligarch, plutocrat term limitless politician run world? Obama was a great image man, but I think policy wise the whole Obama in White House thing not really working . . . and if Romney comes into power the collusion will be unbelievable much like how a mere Mayor (looks TERM LIMITLESS to me . . . ), Mayor Bloomberg is worth 20 billion . . . (thats 50,000 401Ks for 1 person, while homeless and starving abound in NY . . . ) Finally get USA to implement TERM LIMITS on all levels of government, I don’t think there is a need to explain why, someone has to set an example against cults of personality and against seat hogging oligarchs to the 3rd World.

This one is inspired by the Egyptian ‘quandry’ over lack of choices in June 2012. Don’t complain about lack of choice, and MAKE CHOICES. Just run for candidacy against the bad candidates.

Earlier this week, I noted the fact that while President Obama has chosen not to visit Israel since taking office even when visiting the Middle East, Russia’s Vladimir Putin will be making his second trip to the Jewish state this month. The fact that Obama is still so resentful of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he couldn’t bring himself to go to Jerusalem even when it would clearly be in his political interests to do so, while Putin thinks it is good politics to go there, struck me as interesting. But our friends at the Forward have a very different take on the story. In an editorial published this week, they think it is wrong for Israel to receive Putin and urge it to cancel the visit.

In assessing this position, we need to start by saying this is the sort of editorial that explains why there is a difference between government and journalism. In seizing the moral high ground on Putin, the Forward editorialist is taking a stand that no Israeli government, no matter how righteous or devoted to the cause of human rights in Russia, Syria and Iran it might be, can possibly take. Israel has enough enemies without picking a fight with Putin even the United States would be wary of starting. This is the sort of unrealistic moral preening that we journalists love to indulge in. There is also the fact that the Forward, whose idolatry of Barack Obama seems to be boundless, has been noticeably quiet in expressing criticism of the administration’s desire for a “reset” with Putin or his appeasement of Russia on a number of different fronts.

But having said that, I’m prepared to concede the editorial has a point, especially with regard to the egregious praise of Putin on the part of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and that the question of how moral Israel’s foreign policy should be is not solely a matter for idle journalistic posturing.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Different gist when I heard that. And Israel is making way too much fuss and has not kept the UN bargain to letter (at least till 26th June 2012, see article http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/world/middleeast/jewish-settlers-begin-evacuation-of-ulpana.html?pagewanted=all) to be considered a writer of moral foreign policy. USA’s reins are slipping here, and if USA cannot clean up in the Middle East, there is no way USA can take on Russia, conventionally at any rate. They will be using all kinds of unpleasant wave form or satellite brain frying or partial access weather tech they have now with a M.A.D. scenario occuring immensely harmful to everyone.

Iran alone can overrun Israel. And Israel probably would be the very nation that destroys the planet and the human race by firing nukes and irradiating everything in a panic when overrun. Iran has stated they won’t use nukes knowing they can overrun Israel, but Israel being no match for Iran conventionally, will have to drag USA and Russia into a 3rd World War if not fire those Israeli nukes and irradiate everything. The Middle East will wilt away in the first year, the rest of the world in less than 10, and this is on top of what Fukushima already released at a magnitude 100s of times worse than Chernobyl . . .

The Israeli citizens not in Israel’s parliament had better vote very wisely with the possibility of the M.A.D. scenario in mind. In fact if I were USA or even Russia, I’d start assassinating any nuke trigger happy types in either Israel or Iran. The radioactivity of the new Uranium Nukes they have will make Hiroshima H-bomb and Nagsaki H-bomb look like toys and can kill everything on the planet (unless specifically H-Bombs and NEVER anything heavier are used ONLY) on a scale 100s of times worse than Chernobyl.

That is what the Uranium Nukes are like. Just 1 Uranium Nuke is enough to finish off most weaker ecosystems and destroy all neighbouring areas for 1000s of miles in radius. Does that not justify ending use of nukes larger than H-Bombs? Use of conventionals is acceptable but nukes, especially Uranium nukes, is just end game for everything on the planet. Does the EU or AU or USA know this, even as they are stuck in the Middle East? Begin that initiative to ban ALL nuclear weapons.

George Osborne has faced calls for a flat rate of income tax. The Chancellor should introduce a flat rate of income tax and abolish levies such as national insurance, stamp duty and inheritance tax to boost the economy, experts have said. They are calling for a single income tax rate of 30 per cent and the abolition of eight major taxes, including corporation tax and air passenger duty. The 2020 Tax Commission, a joint project from the Institute of Directors and the TaxPayers’ Alliance, says the changes would lead to a tax cut of £3,400 for the average two-earner household. A 400-page report from the group concludes that the measures could lead to an 8.4 per cent increase in the UK’s gross domestic product after 15 years – the equivalent of lending £5,000 to each family.

Allister Heath, chairman of the commission, said: ‘It is time for Britain to make a vital choice between tweaking the status quo and letting our economy continue to be crippled by complex and punitive taxes, and drastically changing course with a radical but realistic plan for a tax system fit for the 21st century.’ Under the plans, both employee and employer national insurance contributions would be scrapped and replaced with a single 30 per cent rate of tax on income, with a £10,000 personal allowance.

Plans: Allister Heath, the chairman of the 2020 Tax Commission, says the current tax rate is ‘crippling’ the economy

Corporation tax and capital gains tax would be replaced with a 30 per cent tax on dividends, interest and rent, and inheritance tax and stamp taxes on land and shares would be dropped, as well as air passenger duty. Fuel duty would be cut by 5p.

Overall, taxation would be limited to a third of national income – as would public spending. The proposed flat-rate income tax would increase the budget deficit by £49.1billion in its first year if the changes were not phased in, or if there were no further cuts to public spending. However, the commission predicts that the boost to the economy would result in a £35billion fall in annual borrowing after 15 years. It says the measures would result in a tax cut of around £3,400 for a two-earner household with an income of £28,000.

¦ Collecting taxes costs as much now as it did 50 years ago, figures show. Despite technological advances, bureaucracy accounts for £1.14 of every £100 collected, compared with £1.16 in 1958. A report from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, based on data from the Paris-based Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, revealed that since 2001 the annual cost has been less than 1 per cent of tax income just once.

Commentator comments :

Is the DM stupid or what… I’d quite like to live in la-la land where tax is zippo %… There is Bob Hope, no hope and envelopes chance of the government making the average person Â£3k better off. Purely because it’s 3k they wouldn’t have!

– silvertail, midlands, 21/5/2012 12:12

Once again, a proposal to stick it to families that scrimp and save to allow one parent to stay home with the children. Traditional families are apparently evil and must be stopped. Such a statement about this country.

– anon, uk, 21/5/2012 12:11

So, a two-earner household benefits, and pensioners pay 50% more tax than at present. There seems to be a concerted effort to solve the aging problem by starving the elderly to an early death. In a few years time they will wonder why they have thousands of old people on the streets begging for coppers. Oh, but those who don’t retire until 2016 will get bigger pensions, so it’s just those of us who got caught in the middle who will suffer. Thanks a lot!

– PAJ, Sussex, 21/5/2012 12:11

Angy Anderson 11.50 Who really knows where our money goes and what it is used for. When I began work at seventeen I was told I would pay tax and national Insurance. I would be entitled to a weekly payment if I lost my job and I would receive a pension at sixty. I would also receive treatment on the NHS and dental treatment on the NHS. I am not getting a pension at sixty so the government has broken a contract with me and thousands of others like me. Tax and National Insurance is all the same, forced to pay but get little out of it.

– Mrs Iri-Tated, UK, 21/5/2012 12:11

Until the suits understand the simple concept of *sharing* things will never change.

– june, bedworth, 21/5/2012 12:08

And the rich get richer.

– Barking Mad, Lancashire, 21/5/2012 12:05

The suffering 99% should all be given a course in basic economy . Atleast their mind will not get agitated and confused when they suffer . Unless the rich and the wealthy get richer and wealthier , how can the 99% pick up more crumbs from under the table, silly ? It is for the good of the 99% only that it is important that the rich and the wealthy should become richer and wealthier . For the orderly existence of the universe we all should have an all- powerful God , for the orderly existence of the world we should have one superpower. Similarly, for the orderly existence of the superpower , we should have a 1% or even less number of the super-rich ! It’s Nature’s Law…Elementary , dear Watson!

– Zeitgeist, London , uk, 21/5/2012 12:05

Looking at the worst comments, I see a lot of people don’t understand how percentages work…

– Sres, Chorley, 21/5/2012 12:02

THis is an EXCELLENT IDEA and has been mooted more than the ONCE. THis type of scheme WORKS as the rate of tax is low enough to not AVOID or EVADE. THus everyone will pay as it is not worth avoiding. It will be easy to collect and thus we can get rid of a lot of Tax Collectors!!! This has happened in some of the Eastern Eurpoean countires and they soon found that they were running a positive budget and had to cut the rate of tax so as too not build up too much SURPLUS. It will take a TOUGH GOVERNMENT TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS and iMPLIMENT but it would be fantastic !!! LET THE PEOPLE CHOOSE HOW THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY not the fools in charge !!!!

– Tel BOY, Bromley Kent, 21/5/2012 11:58
Rating 2

Bill Crawley West Sussex. I don’t agree with the proposals but you have forgotten that you will stop paying NI contributions that are currently around 12% of earnings above £146 per week.

– Puzzled, Southampton UK, 21/5/2012 11:57
Clic

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Politicians (2 terms only, or no votes for the Oligarch MP in question) could try this below tax strategy for ‘winnability’ in politics :

Profit margins of Telecommunications companies (also ALL companies) may not exceed 10 times overhead costs once the CEO has reached wealth level of 20 million. All excess profit must be returned to the state for re-distribution. Maximum sequesterable funds by a company is at a quantum of 10 times whatever the total invested by shareholders. Excess may not be sequesterable if insufficient.

Penalties may not be levied by banks for early repayment. Interest is waived from point of early payment.
Housing Developers may not be affiliated to lawyers or financing firms.

Christine Lagarde has said that the move will be good for UK homeowners and businesses
A zero rate would be the first in the Bank of England’s 300-year history

Tough: Christine Lagarde has told the Bank of England to cut the record rate even lower to help Britain’s ailing economy. The head of the world’s economic watchdog today delivered an extraordinary call for the Bank of England to slash interest rates even further to try to boost the economy. Christine Lagarde, of the International Monetary Fund, said the Bank should ‘reassess the efficacy’ of cutting rates below the current record low of 0.5 per cent to reduce the cost of borrowing for businesses and homeowners. Her intervention raises the prospect of the first zero per cent interest rate since the Bank of England was founded in 1694. Japan cut rates to zero in the 1990s when it suffered a decade-long depression. Mme Lagarde also suggested that the Bank considers a fresh round of money printing — so-called ‘quantitative easing’ – to stimulate growth. Both measures would be grim news for savers, who have already been hit hard by low interest rates and earlier rounds of QE.

The IMF boss, in London to deliver her annual assessment of the UK economy, delighted Chancellor George Osborne with a strong endorsement of the coalition’s deficit reduction measures. She said that when she looked back to the last election in May 2010, and tried to imagine what would have happened to the British economy without the Government’s austerity programme: ‘I shiver.’ Pressure: The Bank of England has held interest rates at 0.5% for several years but is being asked to go further.

Mme Lagarde backed a suggestion by David Cameron that the Government should consider using hard-won credibility on the international money markets, which mean Britain is able to borrow at record lows, to do more to underwrite infrastructure and housing projects and loans to small businesses. The IMF also suggested there was scope for the Government to boost growth through higher spending on infrastructure projects, which would increase employment and demand within the economy and could be funded within existing budgets by imposing further public sector wage restraint or reforming property taxes. If the UK recovery fails to take off, ministers must be prepared to use temporary tax cuts and more infrastructure investment to give the economy a shot in the arm, even if this means reining in the Government’s austerity programme, the watchdog added. Chancellor George Osborne says the IMF report is backing the Coalition’s economic strategy

Welcoming the report, Chancellor George Osborne said: ‘The IMF couldn’t be clearer today. Britain has to deal with its debts and the Government’s fiscal policy is the appropriate one and an essential part of our road to recovery. ‘I welcome the IMF’s continuing support for the UK deficit reduction plan. They agree that, in their words ‘reducing the high structural deficit remains essential’ and make clear in their statement that they consider the current pace of fiscal consolidation to be appropriate. Mr Osborne said the eurozone was reaching a ‘critical point’ and confirmed that Britain was preparing to deal with the shock of a failure in the single currency. ‘In the UK, we have a flexible exchange rate and an independent monetary policy which allows us to ease the process of fiscal adjustment with a lower exchange rate and supportive monetary policy,’ he said.

‘But in the eurozone, indebted countries have to deal with high budget deficits without that support. ‘It is clear that we are now reaching a critical point for the eurozone. ‘Eurozone countries need to stand behind their currency or face up to the prospect of Greek exit, with all the risks that that could involve. ‘The British Government is doing contingency planning for all potential outcomes. It is our responsibility to ensure that while we work for the best, we prepare for something worse. ‘The IMF must also prepare for the consequences if members in Europe don’t follow its advice.’

Chinese Web users have posted details of US ambassador to China Gary Locke’s personal assets to their microblogs after a Beijing newspaper demanded Locke disclose his personal assets. Richard Buanga, spokesman of the US embassy in China who uses the Chinese name Bao Riqiang, also responded to the newspaper yesterday by uploading the foreign services salary table issued by the US Department of State. The Guangdong-based New Express Daily first reported the episode Monday, saying many Web users are encouraging the Beijing newspaper to make the same demand of officials in the capital. Beijing Daily, official newspaper of the municipal Party committee, demanded on its Sina Weibo that US ambassador to China Gary Locke announce his personal assets on Monday.

“Gary Locke, please declare your assets,” the microblog post commented, after reposting a microblog user’s opinion that read, “Gary Locke lives in the US embassy which costs billions of US dollars. He commutes in a bullet-proof Limousine…can this be called modesty? And why does Gary Locke not announce these facts to the public? …So cut the show of incorruptibility!”

The newspaper ran an editorial early this month criticizing Gary Locke for traveling in economy class and using coupons to buy coffee, among other things that drew the attention of the Chinese public, as a way of promoting his image. However, the newspaper’s latest Weibo posts immediately became a new focus for the Chinese online community. Despite the fact that the newspaper’s microblog filters comments, tens of thousands of Web users managed to make sarcastic remarks by reposting the original content. Observers said a foreign ambassador’s residence or expenditure has nothing to do with the host country’s taxpayers in the first place. But Web users showed more interest in why the practice of asset disclosure has not been applied to Chinese officials. A Central Party School newspaper said yesterday that China needs 10 years to implement asset declaration by officials. Government officials in China are now required to submit annual reports about their incomes, assets and information about their spouses and children. But the information is kept within related government departments. The Beijing Daily deleted its original post yesterday without elaborating on the reason. The Sina Weibo also began to manage the information flow yesterday by encrypting Web users’ comments.

Though the government is pushing forward the idea of making officials’ assets more transparent, it still needs years to be fully realized. And obviously Chinese people are more interested in the wealth of Chinese officials than that of foreign officials, said Lin Zhe, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Though the government is pushing forward the idea of making officials’ assets more transparent, it still needs years to be fully realized.

Years? This would mean all assets would have been spread out to relatives, hidden or transfered to easily moved items like diamonds and gold by then. I really hope this is the last generation of plutocrats that have benefited from being in government. Otherwise, if honest, all declarations should be done in as soon as 1 week voluntarily on public sites. A disappointing reality that could still be identifiable and corrected. How about just declaring then re-distributing immediately if above USD$ 20 million? China is Communist Red not Capitalist Green. No plutocrats until the rest of the nation catches up.

Levitating Globe on Stage – Innovative levitating world globe continuously rotates in midair.
May 2012 Sale $99.99 Free shipping & handling Retail $109.00
Featuring a 3” globe that is awash in the brilliant light of 8 LED lights, this handsome desktop decoration will transform your workspace at home or the office. Developed with the latest Levitron Anti Gravity technology. Electromagnetic base uses minimal power to create Real Levitation with continuous rotations of the globe. Suspended in mid-air, this globe defies gravity – inspiring wonder and amazement.

Conclusion?
– to levitate 3 oz costs USD$99
– to levitate 63493.131 oz (or 4000 lbs the reegular weight of a car) the cost will b 6 million +
– consider the use of (hellium infusion augmented) bamboo and rattan entirely in the vehicle to lower to 10% of the weeight and hence price = 600,000 million

For 600,000 a FRICTIONLESS ‘REVERSE LEVITATING’ vehicle (probably powered by limitless Fusion) will be possible.

Consider the height of levitation and we could actually get a FLYING CAR. I really hope those governments will stop oppressing and start redistributing. Imagine caravans (or evenlarge craft) of people flying off to wherever has the laxest laws or is not governed by any government. Barring the MOST BASIC and common sense of religious laws (Self applied 10 comandments type laws, I am not referring to Hudud or whippings here, nor pedophile priests, not forced national service etc.. . . . ), WHO NEEDS GOVERNMENT OR LAWS? The only last issue will be overpopulation and redistribution of wealth and ownership of goods or food. Exciting times? But only if the best of Marx and Capitalism is used . . . Utopia is within reach via – Capitalism with Socialist Limits . . . with the identification of phenotypes and adherence to ‘Growth Outside As You Are Inside Spiritual Laws’ . . .

Ending big society via Aero-Nomadism . . .

ARTICLE 5

Privacy is being turned into a privilege that only the rich and right-on may enjoy – by Brendan O’Neill Politics Last updated: May 21st, 2012 CCTV

Keep ’em trained on the council estates, never the suburban semis Is privacy being turned into a privilege that only the moneyed and the well-connected may enjoy? Two striking stories in the news last week suggest that it is.

In the first story, it was reported that activists and hacks are heaping further pressure on Mark Zuckerberg to improve the privacy settings on Facebook, so that they might update their statuses and post photos of their social shenanigans without having the world and its mother peering over their shoulders. In the second story, we were told that social workers, backed by much of the media, are calling on the prime minister to get rid of “red tape” so that they might more easily interfere in – I’m sorry, intervene in – so-called problem families. There are a lot of damaged families out there, the social workers hinted, and thus we need to rip up some of the rules governing when it is and isn’t okay to stick our snouts into their business.

That these two stories could appear in the same week, and not be considered contradictory, suggests we have a pretty screwed-up attitude to privacy today. Indeed, sometimes the very same members of the political and media classes who believe that their private lives must remain absolutely private will think it is perfectly logical that other people’s private lives – the lives of Them – should be thrown open to state snooping.

So ours is an era in which the media goes mental when it is revealed that Sienna Miller was once photographed in an alleyway, yet raises barely a peep of protest when David Cameron says he plans to interfere in the lives of 120,000 allegedly “chaotic” families. Indeed, liberal commentators say we should be “less squeamish about intervening in chaotic families”, especially “impoverished” ones. Ours is an era where we are expected to weep upon hearing that Steve Coogan’s bins were rifled through by a tabloid hack, yet we brand as Right-wing crackpots those who question the right of their local council to police their bins to make sure they are recycling correctly.

This is an age in which civil-liberties types go ballistic over the fact that they must click a button saying “Private” when they use Spotify, but there’s little controversy when every ordinary man or woman hoping to become a schoolteacher or a youth worker must first submit to an intrusive criminal-records check. Things have come to such a pretty pass that Labour MP Tom Watson can expect sympathy for the fact that he was once followed around by a tabloid reporter, despite the fact that Watson’s own political party introduced rafts of legislation that permit the following, filming and collar-feeling of ordinary people across the land. Meanwhile, the New Statesman provides space to Hugh Grant to bleat about the “egregious abuses of privacy” suffered by the likes of him (posh people), while its star columnist, in a debate about the right of parents to smack their kids, says: “I don’t think sovereignty in people’s own homes is something we should be striving for.” No, apparently it is only right-minded celebs, not plebs, who deserve personal sovereignty.

Today there are shrill demands for a privacy law to protect celebs and other decent folk from the prurient gaze of dumb tabloid readers, alongside constant calls for better policing of the antics and habits of “chaotic” people, the impoverished. We are witnessing the emergence of a privacy hierarchy, where it is assumed that the decent class deserve a proper private life but the impoverished do not. Why? Because where Our lives are important and good, Theirs are potentially bad, certainly unpredictable, definitely “chaotic”, and thus we must pry into their bins and send social workers ir ‘moral police’ or narrow communalists to rap on their front doors in order to sort them out.

Whatever happened to the outlook of the 16th-century jurist Edward Coke, who said, “The house of every one is to him as his castle and fortress, as well for his defence against injury and violence as for his repose”? In other words, every man’s home, be it an actual castle or just a two-bedroom flat in Hackney, should be treated as a fortress that state snitches have no business barging into. These days, it seems you really do need to own a castle – or at least a plush flat in Kensington or Islington – in order for your privacy rights to be taken seriously.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

This should be applied against plutocrats who send national monies to tax havens or sequestering funds that should be circulating in local communities instead of being used to prop up foreign commodities and foreign stock markets to the demise of the global supply chain system. THAT sort of nation destroying (think riots and occupy moements due to uncontrolled Capitalism) chaos propagated by plutocrats is far more dangerous than the odd dogging couple or organic drugs grower or adult industry indulger, adult industry worker and organizer.

ARTICLE 6

Internet voting still faces hurdles in US – Posted on 25 May 2012 – 05:33am

Pressure is building to make Internet voting widely available in the United States and elsewhere, even though technical experts say casting ballots online is far from secure. In the 2012 US elections, more than two dozen states will accept some form of electronic or faxed ballots, mostly from military or overseas voters, according to the Verified Voting Foundation. But there is a growing expectation that online voting will expand further.

“The number one question I’m asked is when we will get to vote on the Internet,” Matt Masterson, Ohio’s deputy election administrator, told a Washington forum this month. “When you are doing everything else on the Internet and your comfort level is high, people expect to do that… You can adopt a child online, you can buy a house online without ever seeing it.” But computer security specialists say any system can be hacked or manipulated, and that unlike shopping and banking, the problem cannot be fixed by giving the customer a refund. “You have computer systems such as those of Google, the Pentagon and Facebook, which have all fallen victim to intrusion,” said J. Alex Halderman, a computer scientist at the University of Michigan.

Halderman, who gained notoriety by hacking into a test of an online voting system in the US capital Washington in 2010 — forcing the system to be scrapped — said the technology is not yet secure enough. “It’s going to be decades, if ever, before we are going to be able to vote online securely,” he told the forum at George Washington University’s Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute.

Some other countries are forging ahead on Internet voting. French citizens living abroad will for the first time this year be able to vote in a parliamentary election over the Internet, an experiment that could be extended to other elections if successful. In Estonia, an early adopter, a record 25 percent of voters cast Internet ballots in 2011. But Halderman, who has consulted with European governments and studied other attempts at online voting, said: “I don’t believe any of them are secure.” In 2010 Halderman and his students accepted a challenge from the local government and were able to penetrate the Washington voting network, change all the votes and prompt the system to play the University of Michigan fight song.

Masterson said election officials are grappling with how to make voting more accessible and looking at the costs of the technology. Internet voting from that perspective makes some sense, he said. Masterson said online voting can also help boost participation and address the issue of voters who cannot get to a polling station. “It kills an election official to find out you can’t get a ballot back,” he said. “These people are being disenfranchised.” But Halderman counters that US elections provide a tempting target for hackers, nation-states and others who might want to destabilize or disrupt the US political system. “If everyone voted online today, I think the probability of substantial fraud would be 100 percent,” he said.

Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, of the Overseas Vote Foundation, works to make ballots more accessible, but remains uneasy with online voting. “It’s horrible to say this,” she said. “I come out of the software industry and push automation and technology for streamlining voting processes all day long, but right now, with the security issues that exist, there is no way I could advocate for Internet voting.”

GWU computer scientist Michael Clarkson said it’s not yet clear if online voting can be extended to national elections, where the risks of intrusion are high. “After 30 years of research, we don’t yet know how to do that in a way that scales to national elections, but we continue to make progress toward the goal,” he said.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, an arm of the Commerce Department, said this month its research had “concluded that Internet voting systems cannot currently be audited with a comparable level of confidence in the audit results as those for polling place systems. Additionally, malware on voters’ personal computers “poses a serious threat that could compromise the secrecy or integrity of voters’ ballots,” NIST said.

Richard Soudriette, head of the Colorado-based Center of Diplomacy and Democracy and a consultant on election issues, said he believes the technical and security problems of online voting have largely been resolved. “Over the past 10 years Internet voting firms have developed encryption and cryptography software tools that make voting much more secure,” he said. “I believe that within a decade most developed countries will conduct national elections via Internet.” – AFP

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

District by district, then a ‘monthly audit’ by publishing in the newspaper who voted and for who. Indiscrepencies can thus only last 1 month at most, at least for diligent voters.

A desperate jobseeker who applied for 15,000 jobs with no success in the past ten years has resorted to advertising himself by wearing a ‘hire me’ sandwich board. Robin Norton, from Birmingham, has a Masters degree in history and several NVQs but has been overlooked by an endless slew of employers. He has now taken drastic action, spending an entire day wearing a sign reading ‘hire me please’ and walking up and down the M5 slip-road at Bromsgrove junction in Worcestershire.
Extreme move: Robin Norton stood by the motorway wearing a sandwich board for a day in the hope of finding employment

Mr Norton said: ‘I have applied for around 25 jobs a week for the past ten years without getting anywhere. ‘Sometimes I have applied for as many as 50 in one week. It is never-ending. Mr Norton, who worked for the Royal Mail for seven years, was a self-employed footcare technician until 2002 when his business went under. Since then he has had odd-jobs including cleaning, gardening and building work, but craves the stability of full-time employment.

Reaching his limits: Mr Norton has a Masters degree in history and several NVQs but has been overlooked by employers He said: ‘Things were bad before but have become worse since the recession. Now I don’t think there is any chance of me getting work. ‘It is partly down to the recession but also my age. Companies don’t want to hire anybody in their 40s. All the jobs go to the young up-and-coming jobseekers. ‘I’ve got the qualifications but I can’t get the work. As soon as they see how old you are, they don’t want to know. ‘It’s against the law to be ageist but in the real world, my world here today, it’s still here and it’s wrong.’ Despite all his efforts, Mr Norton has had no job offers – and only a handful of interviews – and he said hitting rock-bottom convinced him to try a new tactic.

‘Wearing the sign is a last-ditch attempt for me to get work, a real last resort. I spent a couple of months working up the guts to go down and do it. ‘It was not an easy step but things have become that desperate for me. I feel physically sick having to stoop to this but I have no other choice.’
Jason Fruen found a job after advertising his skills on a sandwich board beside the M60. Mr Norton has set up an email address – hire-me-pleeaase@hotmail.co.uk (sic) – so potential employers can get in touch. Latest statistics show unemployment in the UK now stands at 2.63million, falling by 45,000 in the three months to March this year.

Mr Norton is not the first recession-hit jobseeker to try such dramatic measures after struggling to find work. Earlier this month, unemployed Bennett Olson, from Minnesota, put his face on an electric billboard with the words: ‘Hire Me!’ He shelled out $300 for his face to rotate with other adverts for 24 hours. Last year, frustrated U.S. jobseeker Alisha Madkins, from Boston, walked around the city centre wearing a sandwich board saying ‘hire me!’ on one side and ‘college grad’ on the other. But the strategy did work for one lucky Briton, who managed to impress would-be employers with his spirit and dedication. Father-of-one Jason Fruen gained a job in 2009 by standing for four hours at Junction 9 of the M60 in Manchester wearing a sandwich board.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Money cannot buy breeding, but education cannot get either money or breeding. ‘Educated fools with money on their mind . . . ‘ (Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise, 1995) should not spend money that has no guarantees and that indebts one in the first place. Add the age factor, and ALL young graduates had better prepare to retire by 40. That means not getting a loan for education, and focusing on that loan for housing which is already overpriced as is. Then consider against the response in Article 2 below.

Congrats to proud owners of a 30,000 to 500,000 loan for a TICKET THAT ALLOWS WORK but has no guarantees except to enrich the financial institution in collusion with the state education apparatus and their pro-party jobsworths.

Everardo Gonzalez protests his student debt at San Francisco State’s graduation ceremony. …A handful of student activists are expressing their displeasure at the rising cost of college by wearing inflatable ball and chain accessories over their graduation robes. The props state the amount of debt with which they’re graduating. The silent commencement protest, dubbed “Occupy Graduation” by its organizers, is taking place at seven universities around the country.

Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerrys ice cream, is helping pay for the protest and has raised about $400,000 to fund Occupy-related projects.

“A college education is so important and now it’s only available to people who have a lot of money or to people who end up going into debt for the rest of their lives,” Cohen told Yahoo News. The entrepreneur never completed college, but he thinks it’s crucial to job success today.

Everardo Gonzalez, a 23 year-old criminal justice graduate of San Francisco State University, said he received “a bunch of positive feedback” from parents and fellow students for his participation in the quiet protest last Saturday at the graduation ceremony.

Gonzalez is graduating with $26,490 in federal loans and another $10,000 in credit card debt that he racked up while trying to make ends meet. His parents couldn’t afford to help him pay for college, so he worked at a local IKEA, struggling to balance his class schedule with his job.

During Gonzalez’s college career, San Francisco State University cut faculty salaries across the board, laid off staff, dramatically reduced the number of classes offered, hiked tuition and trimmed enrollment, all in response to the reduction in California’s higher education budget. Gonzalez was forced to spend another year at school–and take out more loans to do so–after he couldn’t find a way into the classes he needed for his major to graduate. (The crowded classes would fill up online within seconds.) The experience spurred him to join a group of student protesters linked with the Occupy Wall Street movement, who demonstrated against the cuts and other issues this year.

Gonzalez has landed a paid internship for next year, and plans to get a master’s degree in political theory after that to become a teacher. Gonzalez’ debt load is actually about average for graduating college students who took out loans. By attending an in-state school, qualifying for grants and relying solely on federal–not private–loans, Gonzalez has a manageable amount of loans with comparatively low interest rates.

“I’m not the poster child of student debt,” he says, but adds that many of his friends are in a worse position. He believes college education should be free, and that existing student loans should be forgiven. Seeing his parents lose their home after the recession hit also made him passionate about advocating for more opportunities for middle class and poor people. “The entire system is set up for people to fail unless they’re privileged,” he says.

Ivonne Quiroz, another San Francisco State University protester who graduated with a degree in biology last weekend, was also forced to stay at college for an extra semester after the immunology class she needed to graduate filled up. She’s now walking down the aisle with about $21,000 in federal loans. Quiroz said the budget cuts also fueled her protest. “We’re paying so much more, but we’re getting so much less,” she said.

Various Occupy movements have advocated for changing the law so that student debt can be discharged in bankruptcy, forgiving student loans altogether, and having zero percent interest loans for education. Interest rates on subsidized federal student loans are expected to double to 6.8 percent this year, unless Congress passes a law to extend the grace period. (Private loans have higher interest rates.) Still, on average, college graduates make far more money and enjoy lower unemployment rates than their peers with only a high school diploma.

Student protesters at the University of Southern Maine. (Occupy Graduation)

Another protest is planned for Hunter College in New York at the graduation ceremony on Tuesday. Monica Johnson, a 35-year-old Hunter College graduate student who’s helping to organize the demonstration, borrowed about $15,000 in federally secured loans 15 years ago to pay for college. But in 2007, she decided to move to New York to get a masters of fine arts degree at Pratt, a private school. She took out an additional $60,000 in loans, which ballooned to $88,000 after she dropped out of the program, dissatisfied. She now has a full-time job at an arts non-profit and is enrolled at the much cheaper Hunter College, where she’ll receive her MFA in December.

Johnson recently paid off $18,000 of her debt over a period of eight months, by subsisting on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and only paying for things in cash, which she said helped her resist buying anything unnecessary. She’s encouraging indebted graduates to form a union and negotiate with lenders to get lower rates or income-based repayment.

“What really pisses me off is I should never have been given those loans,” Johnson said. “It honestly was the worst money I ever spent.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Some of us would look at the figures and decide not to bother with the aggravation of education and the debt caused. The clever would become estate owners or landlords instead, and have an income from sale of REAL PRODUCE and REAL GOODS cultivated from the land if not a slumlord via rental of properties to tenants. With that kind of money, one could buy several units of low cost housing (which do pay themselves off) and RETIRE at the ripe old age of 16 or 18 while those who opted for education would be indebted and if they do not ‘bend’ enough to their future bosses and toe ‘company lines’, pay monthly rentals instead of collecting rentals, will remain homeless and potentially could be bankrupt (depending on jobs market) instead. Consumerism is at an end, population growth cannot be sustained by the planet, meaning population growth cannot sustain consumerism.

ARTICLE 3

The fashionable hostility towards social mobility is just another way of saying ‘know your place’ – by Brendan O’Neill Politics Last updated: May 22nd, 2012

Loadsamoney: how the liberal elite view “social mobility”

Is there anyone the great and the good hate more than an upwardly mobile member of the working classes? A raft of abusive terminology has been created to diss these strange creatures. They’re seen as “yuppies” or “Loadsamoneys”, waving their wads of cash around with a sneering look of self-satisfaction on their faces. They’re always described as “grasping” and “ruthless”. They are treated like fish out of water, such as when The Guardian snottily said that wealthy working-class footballers labour under “the misapprehension that drinking champagne is a symbol of class”. And they are always depicted as soulless, as lacking in community spirit, as so selfish that they would rather escape the poor communities they grew up in rather than stay put and muck in. Watch the movies of Mike Leigh. Almost every one of them contains such a character: the grasping working-class man or woman who runs away from his or her council estate to live in a big but heartless house in the suburbs. How middle-class moviegoers love to laugh at such specimens!

Now Ed Miliband has weighed into the discussion about social mobility. It is always a pleasure to hear what someone who was brought up in Hampstead and babysat by professors thinks about “the assumptions behind social mobility”. According to Miliband, in a speech he gave yesterday, there is too much focus on creating the conditions to allow smart, ambitious working-class people to get ahead, and not enough focus on ensuring that inequality is not “handed down generation to generation, like the colour of our hair”. It sounds radical, but in truth Miliband is implicitly demonising, or at least problematising, the exercise of individual initiative to move on in life, since this leaves untouched the structural underpinnings of inequality. He is, in effect, playing off “grasping” members of the working classes against less fortunate members of the working classes, as if the social mobility of the former is somehow responsible for the social predicament of the latter.

His criticisms of social mobility have struck a chord with Leftists who have long felt uncomfortable with ambitious, materialistic working-class people (primarily because they don’t conform to the Full Monty model of less well-off people being hard-done-by but happy). One Labour blogger spoke for many when he applauded Miliband’s comments by saying, “The politics of social mobility has always left me cold”. Labour MP Hazel Blears has gone further, saying: “I’ve never understood the term social mobility because that implies you want to get out of somewhere… And I think there is a great deal to be said for making who you are something to be proud of.”

Blears’ comments cut to the heart of the modern Left’s discomfort with social mobility, whether it is expressed through crude, comical stereotypes of money-mad former council-estate dwellers or through seemingly radical speeches that ask “What about the rest of the working class?” What is really being expressed here is a disgust with poor people who don’t know their place, who aren’t proud of “who they are”, as Blears puts it, and who insist on leaping from one class into another. The reason these individuals make people like Miliband and Blears feel uncomfortable is because they are a stark reminder of the failure of the modern Left, and of Labour in particular, to make good on its 1960s promise to create an egalitarian, more prosperous society. The fact that working-class individuals who want to get ahead must play the same game as the upper classes of society – that is, be spectacularly self-possessed, individualistic, ruthless – is a powerful reminder of Labour’s failure to create a society in which all classes could equally pursue their ambitions. That is why so much bile is heaped on those “Loadsamoneys” who hail from working-class communities: their very existence, their attitudes and antics, expose Labour’s failure to improve the living conditions and raise the expectations of all sections of society.

And so the Left sneers at these socially mobile workers, because it would prefer that they stayed put rather than unwittingly shining a light on the fact that the Labour Left’s historic talk of boosting everyone’s fortunes has been so much flimflam. Their ambition is slated because it is too much of an uncomfortable echo of the kind of life and drive that Labour once promised to deliver to all. These people should stop focusing on “getting out of somewhere” and instead, in the embarrassing words of Leftist author Owen Jones, celebrate their “working classness”. That phrase suggests that being working class is an innate trait, like sex or hair colour. But it isn’t. It’s a social condition, or a social predicament if you like, and like all social conditions it can be overcome and transformed. Ambitious working-class people shouldn’t be made to feel bad about their material desires just because they make socially accomplished people like Miliband, Blears and Owen Jones feel awkward.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Clear definitions of social types and levels, clear methods of raising in stature are needed, AND incentives associated with values based instead of cash based social mobility (capitalist plutocracies are NOT ethical or moral societies incidentally) should counter the ‘hostility to social mobility (i.e. here is what needs to be abided by, these are the classes etc.. instead of money rules all which eventually degenerates into dirty money politics and hired hitmen of the materialist plutocrat method – a person who will bribe their way into power, use the Judiciary as a weapon, will also kill their way into power, returning to the dark ages).

ARTICLE 4

U.S. Army General: The Whole Northern Hemisphere is at Risk of Becoming Largely Uninhabitable – Mac Slavo – May 25th, 2012 – SHTFplan.com

You may have entertained the idea of an improbable civilization ending events such as a ‘global killer’ asteroid, earth crust displacement or massive solar storms, but what if there existed a situation right now that was so serious that it literally threatened our very existence?

According to a host of scientists, nuclear experts and researchers, were are facing exactly such a scenario – and current efforts may not be able to stop it.

When the Fukushima nuclear plants sustained structural damage and a catastrophic failure of their spent fuel cooling systems in the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami in 2011, it left the government of Japan, Tokyo Power and nuclear regulatory agencies around the world powerless to contain the release of deadly radiation. A year on, the battle for control of Fukushima continues to no avail.

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of people in Japan and the whole of North America have been affected, with reports indicating that children in Japan and the U.S. are already being born with birth defects, as well as thousands who have already succumbed to radiation related illness. As we initially followed the breaking news during the first thirty days of the accident, we suggested the Fukushima disaster would be worse than Chernobyl. Not even we could have imagined how much worse it would be.

If current estimates are correct, Fukushima has already released as much radiation into the atmosphere and Pacific Ocean as Chernobyl, and the potential for a disaster at least ten times worse is highly probable in the event of another earthquake or accident that leads to a collapse of the cooling structures which are above ground and have already suffered significant damage. According to U.S. Army General Albert N. Stubblebine (ret.) of the Natural Solutions Foundation, the situation is extremely serious and poses a significant danger to our entire civilization. Since TEPCO and the Japanese government have refused the entombment option (as the Russians did with Chernobyl) the world is at the mercy of nature. A mistake here would cause the deaths of tens of millions of people across the globe. If there ever existed a threat that could cause the end of the world as we know it, it’s the ongoing and unresolved nuclear saga in Japan:

When the highly radioactive Spent Fuel Rods are exposed to air, there will be massive explosions releasing many times the amount or radiation released thus far. Bizarrely, they are stored three stories above ground in open concrete storage pools. Whether through evaporation of the water in the pools, or due to the inevitable further collapse of the structure, there is a severe risk. United States public health authorities agree that tens of thousands of North Americans have already died from the Fukushima calamity. When the final cataclysm occurs, sooner rather than later, the whole Northern Hemisphere is at risk of becoming largely uninhabitable.

Fact. On March 11, 2011, Fukushima Daichi nuclear power station with six nuclear reactors suffered cataclysmic damage that some believe was a man made event,and the resulting Tsunami. Hydrogen explosions…at least one nuclear explosion… and then subsequent deterioration of the visible plants at five of those reactors have created a threat situation unparalleled in human history.
Fact. Despite denial and cover-up, the reality has emerged, that enormous amounts of radioactive material has been spewing into the atmosphere, polluting the groundwater, and the food of Japan, and entering by the tens of millions of gallons the waters of the Pacific.

There’s no way to sugarcoat these facts. Denying them, blocking them out, pretending that they are not real is of no help to you and your family, and it leaves you totally unprepared for a danger that the Natural Solutions Foundation has been warning about since the first day. As of three weeks ago the levels of radiation inside of the spent fuel pools of unit no. 2 are too high to measure. Get that… too high to measure. And, the water there is evaporating, meaning that heat and radiation could easily build to very high levels.

Very simply put, if this much Cesium 137 is released, it will destroy the world environment and our civilization. This is not rocket science, nor does it connect to the pugulistic debate over nuclear power plants. This is an issue of human survival.

We can play the denial game all day long and pretend that, because the mainstream media is not reporting on it, there is no threat, but the facts are quite clear. This is, without a doubt, the most immediate threat faced by the world. It’s so serious, in fact, that the Japanese government has considered and put into place evacuation plans for the whole of Tokyo – some 40 million people. Reports are also emerging that suggest a collapse of the spent fuel pools would be so serious that the entire country of Japan may have to be evacuated. The entire country – that’s 125 million refugees that will cause an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. Before you argue that these are the ravings of just alternative media conspiracy theorists and fearmongers, consider the assessment put forth by Robert Alvarez , a senior policy adviser to the Secretary for National Security and the Environment for the US Department of Energy: The No. 4 pool is about 100 feet above ground, is structurally damaged and is exposed to the open elements. If an earthquake or other event were to cause this pool to drain this could result in a catastrophic radiological fire involving nearly 10 times the amount of Cs-137 released by the Chernobyl accident. The infrastructure to safely remove this material was destroyed as it was at the other three reactors. Spent reactor fuel cannot be simply lifted into the air by a crane as if it were routine cargo. In order to prevent severe radiation exposures, fires and possible explosions, it must be transferred at all times in water and heavily shielded structures into dry casks.. As this has never been done before, the removal of the spent fuel from the pools at the damaged Fukushima-Dai-Ichi reactors will require a major and time-consuming re-construction effort and will be charting in unknown waters.

The total spent reactor fuel inventory at the Fukushima-Daichi site contains nearly half of the total amount of Cs-137 estimated by the NCRP to have been released by all atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, Chernobyl, and world-wide reprocessing plants (~270 million curies or ~9.9 E+18 Becquerel). It is important for the public to understand that reactors that have been operating for decades, such as those at the Fukushima-Dai-Ichi site, have generated some of the largest concentrations of radioactivity on the planet. Regulatory agencies all over the world are warning of the potentiality of a further degradation of the Fukushima nuclear reactors and spent fuel pools, and the subsequent nuclear fallout that would follow. If these reactors go – and they could at any moment for any number of reasons – we’re looking at a situation for which you simply cannot stock enough food, or water, or supplies. Radiation would spread across the entire northern hemisphere and would be impossible to contain. While we’ve argued in the past that there is no place we’d rather be than in the United States of America in the event of a socio-economic collapse or global conflict, if these spent fuel pools collapse, then an international exit strategy may be the only option. Because details are sparse and research limited, it is difficult to predict what nuclear fall out from Japan may look like. The following map may be of some help, as it details the estimated fallout pattern resulting from a nuclear war between Russia and the United States. You’ll note that, while most of the world would be irradiated, the southern hemisphere would be your best bet to avoid the brunt of it:

Copyright Information: Copyright SHTFplan and Mac Slavo. This content may be freely reproduced in full or in part in digital form with full attribution to the author and a link to http://www.shtfplan.com. Please contact us for permission to reproduce this content in other media formats.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

The capitalist-consumerist paradigm is over. The peoples of the planet are at a cultural-conservatism, wealth-redistribution phase. A report said that solar panels covering the size of Nevada can power the whole of the USA. To protect the environment, shut down all those nuke plants and decommission all nuke warheads, Bury all of the nuclear material in a NON-QUAKE ZONE and go non-GMO. Distribute the land equally to everyone for subsistence farming, end of the food stamp and distribution or labour and work problems.

As for financing . . . Need to eat? Grow own food. Need materials for house? Grow materials from trees and build your own with some carpentry, quarry your own stones or bag up compacted soil or even compacted TRASH. Education? Based from internet FOR FREE and marked on ability to think critically (a handful of questions on ethics and logic, nominally COMMON SENSE morality (not the length of skirt or sexual orientation, if they they gamble or drink or use organics, but if one will be a corporate raider, accept golden parachute bonuses – instead of amending company policy to be fair to stockholders – when a company collapses taking out ordinary 401K type stockholders, or write a law lowering election deposits instead of assigning taxpayer finds to one’s own funeral which has not occurred by sheer skewed sense of entitlement, raising bureaucrat salaries many times above GDP growth and inflation, holding on to power after 2 terms effectively preventing the rest of the nation from participating in policy making (sometimes generationally like so many Arab Spring type dictators) . . .

The above . . . will decide who has the ethical balls, rather than being a greedy, lazy and mob minded, yet cowardly pack of followers afraid to step out of line to make a point, or simply spineless and going along with ‘the flow’ (the fundo-psyche-politico-sycophant establishments decided to punish some of us ‘activists’ and critical thinkers for making a point and a stand . . . ), to insist on the need of TERM LIMITED bureaucrats) joins the army or police, or is best suited for research and trend studies law amending studies etc., or entirely unsuitable for anything – meaning subsistence sponsored by government or their family (mainly those who ask for near 2 times 401K for their funeral funds simply because they were some bureaucrat in the past) . . . not rote, learn, memorise and toe authoritarian political lines, there are no such lines, humanity is as free as the next bacterium excepting the civilising effect of laws that prevent abuse or parasitisation of others.

The earth belongs to everyone right (99%!~)? So everyone has the right to a piece of land enough for their own families (thats right no 2nd 3rd or 10th homes for plutocrats or law makers that allow vast swathes of arable or liveable land to be unusable while the homeless who could be growing their own food or building their own homes are stuck in cities disallowed from using that same land . . . or insisting that accreditation bureaucrats and boards and buildings, building materials suppliers, building contractors or stationary and book supply contractors, bureaucrats, then canteen suppliers and food preparers who want to value add to their profits (20% to 300% increases?) sweepers and gardeners and security guards (who all would possibly rather prefer to be growing their own food on land distributed from unused land banks of ‘state land’ if given a choice) to be needed to qualify an education, instead of anyone who doesn’t mind sitting in an empty parking lot to ‘educate’ then allow those who attended to claim a degree to start working . . . a degree could cost nothing well at most everyone collectively could give the lecturer minimum wage (100 students per open air class divided by 7.50 per x10 hours = 75 cents per student per day . . . 273.75 per year of ‘University’) . . . students do you know why your degree costs so much now? Because of Education-Financier Complex described above . . . ). The cities earlier built needn’t even be abandoned though different rules could apply (Capitalist non-distribution Zones?) since those are supposed to be ‘prime territory’. WTF is UN or NAM doing?

Earth has 36.48 billion acres. However, there are only 12 million square miles (7.68 billion acres) of arable land. In 2006, there were 1.15 acres of arable land per person, world-wide (i.e. 7.68 billion acres / 6.68 billion people). With irrigation and forestration work (think Gaddafi’s GMRP Nubian Aquifer system -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Manmade_River), this could be 100 times more in as soon as 10-20 years.

Now, think 3 dimensionally in existing arable areas, where up to 3 to 20 times the amount of arable land could be created (with 15 storey high , or 50 perhaps added modularly, if needed, via the corkscrew form structures seen in link below) . . .

Finally, voters should not vote self serving plutocrats, or fundos or undemocratic minded nepotists, into power who do not respect term limits or understand ethical prohibitions in creating blocs of relatives (much less term limitless ones) in government. Whats wrong with everyone? Too stupid? Who have you been voting for? Check the background or run for election yourselves!

He may only be a spring chicken at the age of 25. But despite the wide age gap, Jennifer Lopez’s new flame has all the qualities of a traditional and perhaps older gentleman. The 42-year-old’s backing dancer beau, Casper Smart, accompanied his lady on a shopping trip to the Grove in West Hollywood today. Age gap love: Jennifer Lopez locked hands with her boyfriend Casper Smart as the pair shopped at The Grove in West Hollywood, California today. And while a retail outing with their partner sounds like a nightmare for many men, Smart seemed perfectly happy to be at Lopez’s beck and call as she picked out fashionable items.

They emerged from the celebrity-favourite shopping centre showing no signs of bickering between the clothing rails as they held hands and walked thought the parking lot.

The young man even lugged his partner’s bulging bags as she simply carried her bag over her shoulder.
Bagsy this one! Jennifer looked smug her man carried her Zara bags around

Bagsy this one! Jennifer looked smug her man carried her Zara bags around

Nothing but a number: The performer’s younger man is 25 while she is 42

Trendy boy: Smart dressed stylishly in a trilby hat and sunglasses

While trendy Casper donned a trilby hat and sunglasses with his white T-shirt and black trousers, his girlfriend stood out as they made their way to the car.

She drew attention to her shoulders as she wore her hair in a bun on top of her head and blue jumpsuit embellished with a waist belt.

Cream gladiator sandals graced her feet and white framed sunglasses shielded her eyes.
Making a fuss: He even opened the car door for his woman showing chivalry isn’t dead

Making a fuss: He opened the car door for his woman showing chivalry isn’t dead

Casper was quick to open the passenger door for his older woman as she approach the vehicle so it’s no wonder, she has been singing his praises recently.

She unleashed a cringeworthy PDA when she performed on American Idol earlier this season with her lover also on stage with her.

In a moment that saw Casper pick confetti out of J-Lo’s hair after the performance ended in a flurry of ticker tape, she immediately said to the audience: ‘He’s so cute!’

Additionally, last month People magazine reported that he sees the star as royalty.

A source said: ‘There is a lot of love between [them], he treats her like a queen.’
Passion for fashion: J-Lo looked great in a blue jumpsuit with light-coloured bag, shoes and belt

Passion for fashion: J-Lo looked great in a blue jumpsuit with light-coloured bag

what because no other man anywhere has ever carried his womans bags? tell ya what come take pics of me day to day, opening doors for women, carrying bags for my partner, women first etc etc but i dont have a news article do i?

– Michael Smith, Pontefract, 22/5/2012 10:47
Rating 3

wish my man would treat me like that! lol am i right ladies??

– jennyfromtheblock, Sheffield, UK, 22/5/2012 00:12
Rating 16

There is nothing like a hot, fit, young stallion for some fun and rejuvenation! 🙂 Enjoy it, JLO! good on you!

– a., England, 21/5/2012 23:58
Rating 24

Will she snap off his thing if he tries to leave?

– wondering, Canada, 21/5/2012 23:21
Rating 8

Same type of pictures as LeAnn Rimes, so is she pay DM too? lol ……….. selective indignation.

– Jullou, Glendale, AZ, 21/5/2012 18:35
Rating 5

Well, she’s his BOSS & his sole source of income, right? I’m not sure he’s such a fabulous gentleman, maybe just a good employee– sorry!

– jenisoutherngirl, Bham, USA, 21/5/2012 18:14
Rating 60

And man servant is all he really is. I give it one year. Meanwhile her two kids suffer all this and will be in rehab by the time they’re 18.

– Doug Smart, New York, USA, 21/5/2012 17:49
Rating 38

HA! I love it. One photo signifies his character and their relationship entirely. If he was snapped putting it down I wonder what the article would be about….zzz

– Michelle, London, 21/5/2012 16:23
Rating 17

It’s amazing what extensions can do to Jeniifers hair, but when they come off, theres litteraloy just a small amount of hair. love her though

– Tino, Brighton, United Kingdom, 21/5/2012 15:49
Rating 29

J-Lo is millions times better than Kim

– Genevieve, bristol, 21/5/2012 15:39

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Both of them should hire a footman, maid, or few for this sort of thing if Casper wants to raise his status to that of an equal.. IDK but some cynical feminists could well be thinking how they got all the guys under control. Carrying bags or opening doors is not chivalry, this is the work of footmen glorified as chivalry. Chivalry is a mindset and for the poor who cannot afford footmen, yes this would count. But to do a high profile MSM on a couple at this level of wealth who could hire an entourage of servants and footmen, this ends up potentially (I stress potentially, so will the psychoanalysts lay off whatever presumed smartsauce – theirs or others), as a farcical take on the concept of chivalry per se to manipulate the masses with a feminist agenda instead. In fact a PA designated as a PA who has any pride of self, would (especially if pointedly asked) REFUSE to carry bags, open doors, or carry umbrellas, these sorts of jobs are decidely menial in nature, money is one thing, but job description and the ability to REFUSE to do such work, is another. The bosses who do fire for such refusals are despots and no respectable members of society.

Of course if you want to say, these are your mere ‘Sudra entertainer’ class, and to not take them seriously, we could well just ignore all MSM (and MSM manipulation) as well.

Geri Halliwell has offered a glimmer of hope to Spice Girls fans desperate to see the Nineties group reform for the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. ‘It would be unfair of me to reveal anything now,’ Geri, 39, hinted with a wink at the Heather Kerzner and Marie Curie Cancer Care dinner.

Melanie ‘Mel C’ Chisholm, 38, added to the intrigue, saying: ‘I think we need to get our skates on and do it before we are too old!’ Sparking rumours: Geri Halliwell has dropped a hint that the Spice Girls could reform in time for the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics. Reunited: Fans of the 90s group the Spice Girls may not have to wait long to see them back on stage. Party girl Kate adds a twist of glamour. Kate Moss pictured with Heather at the event.

Hosting a glamorous fundraising party at Claridge’s in Mayfair last week for Marie Curie Cancer Care, socialite Heather Kerzner tried to persuade pal Kate Moss to get up and sing with music legends Ronnie Wood and Sam Moore. Kate, pictured with Heather at the event, has been known to have impromptu singalongs – once joining in with Primal Scream and on another occasion duetting with Boy George – but this time insisted her singing wasn’t good enough. But she did jump on stage to dance and help at the auction. ‘It was amazing to see her on stage with Ronnie and Sam,’ said Heather. Kate turned up with husband Jamie Hince and Heather said: ‘It was lovely seeing them so happy.’ The party raised more than £620,000. Charlotte Church is turning to Florence Welch for inspiration as she prepares to relaunch her singing career.

The 26-year-old is making her comeback next month at the philosophy and music festival How The Light Gets In, which is running alongside the Hay literary festival at Hay-on-Wye on the Welsh border. Charlotte, who rose to fame as a classical singer before crossing over to pop music in 2005, will perform live for the first time in two years. ‘Her sound is a cross between Florence and the Machine and Kate Bush,’ said a spokesman for the festival.

Charlotte said: ‘It’s a great festival and I’ve missed playing live. The music is different to anything I’ve done before, so I recommend people come with an open mind.’ American Pie actress Tara Reid has been canoodling in Cannes with 60-year-old gems tycoon Fawaz Gruosi. The blonde Hollywood star, 36, was spotted at a Raffles boat party that the founder of de Grisogono luxury jewellery was hosting with Eva Longoria for the film festival. ‘Tara and Faraz could not keep their hands off each other,’ a source says. ‘She sat on his lap and he ran his hands all over her. They left together and he certainly seemed to be her sugar daddy.’ Fawaz counts Naomi Campbell among his many younger female admirers.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Has been ‘time out’ for a decade or more for these married mothers. Come on girls, look for and even FUND replacement lookalikes and give some younger kids a chance in the spotlight. Spicegirls can live on but don’t make a Mubarak or a Gaddafi out of the girl power. Some memes just don’t grow better when their creators get older. Burnt out vs fresh faced! Try the below charts for ‘rating’ stars :

Rating Stars (or any public figures like television hosts, though a programme with a target demogrphic that consists of married people can ignore the marriage factor)

+2 Unattached Bisexual
+1 Unattached Hetero
0 On and off with someone not too unpopular
-1 Attached (+1 for the ‘loves to break up relationships type’ but this isn’t exactly healthy to promote . . . )
-2 Married (+1 for the ‘cast eyes on wives type’ but this isn’t exactly healthy to promote . . . )
-3 Married with children (+2 for the ‘MILF chaser type’ but this isn’t exactly healthy to promote . . . )

+2 extreme good looks
+1 good looks
0 average looks
-1 bad looks (but if matched with the corrct film ideal for such looks can be +1 memorable)
+2 extreme bad looks (but if matched with the corrct film ideal for such looks can be +2 memorable)

+1 consistent character depictions/style type (i.e. ken-barbies stay ken-barbies, or goths stay goth, not turn into corporate types then switch again etc.
baldies stay bald, hairstyle types stay consistent (even if unsuitable which in itself can be an identifier and consistency)
0 average people do no stand out or perhaps have no chance to
-1 inconsistent character depictions/style type

An Indian NGO claims that it wants to promote the heritage dish and denies that it has anything to do with the burger protest outside S Ambiga’s house.

KUALA LUMPUR: Fancy a free thosai breakfast this Sunday?

If you do, then head down to Ampang as a coalition of 20 Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are planning to set up a thosai stall in front of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar’s residence on May 20.

Urging the public to attend the event, the movement dubbed WargaAMAN, said the stall would provide free thosai to all this Sunday, starting 10am, at Jalan 2/7G, Taman Bukit Teratai, Ampang.

WargaAMAN secretary S Barathidasan claimed that the event had “no connection” with the burger stall set up by some traders in front of Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga’s house last week.

Last Thursday, a group of burger sellers staged a protest in front of Ambiga’s house by distributing 200 burgers.

Organised by an NGO called Malaysia Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Ikhlas), they set up the stall to show their displeasure over the April 28 Bersih rally, which Ikhlas claimed had disrupted their livelihood.

The NGO alleged that burger stall owners had suffered losses amounting to RM200,000 due to the rally, concentrated in certain parts of the federal capital.

Subsequently, Khalid, when asked why the police did not act against the burger stall owners, had replied that it was not wrong to sit in front of anyone’s house provided they did not disturb the occupants of the dwelling.

The DIG had said that there was nothing wrong with protesting outside a person’s house as long as the occupants are not disturbed.

“What offence? If you want to sit in front of her (Ambiga’s) house without disrupting other people, there is no offence.

“As long as they don’t commit any offence such as trespassing on private property, we will not take action,” Khalid had told a press conference in reference to the “burger protest.”

WargaAMAN, however, is firm that the event in front of Khalid’s house this Sunday would not be a protest but more of a thosai promotional event.

“We plan to promote thosai… Malaysians seems to have forgotten about the dish which had been classified as a heritage food by the Malaysian Heritage Department

“So, the event will be more of an awareness campaign… it is more to introduce the dish than a protest,” added Barathidasan.

Apart from a free thosai meal, the public would also be taught how to make good thosai.

“Since Khalid had said what he said, we chose his house. This is the assurance he gave. Moreover he is the number two cop in the country… it would be very safe outside his house,” he quipped.

Persatuan Kebajikan, Sosial Gemilang Puchong president V Rameshwaran said he was apalled that ex-servicemen could stoop so low.

“This is disgraceful, these men are supposed to be role models for the younger generation. It is a shame that they chose to behave in such a crude manner.

“It is acts like these that upset the public and turn Malaysia into a laughing stock. It will also make the people angrier with Barisan Nasional,” he told FMT.

Rameshwaran said Ambiga was defending the constitutional rights of Malaysians, including that of the ex-servicemen who staged the lewd protest.

As for the police’s justification for not acting against the “burger” protest, he suggested that stall owners whose premises were demolished by DBKL should set up stalls outside the houses of the mayor and Khalid.

“This is wonderful news. Now everyone has the ‘licence to grill’ outside anyone’s house, including that of the mayor, police chief, prime minister and ministers,” he said.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Retrogressively unchallengeable backlash w/o use of ISA type powers. BN (or is that PDRM) is using their brains after the fiasco at Bersih. Now, how about Ambiga file lawsuits against APARTHEID instead of carrying on with the Bersih farce?

Can’t they use GPS to determine if the area is really 15 acres? This sort of nonsesne even about land size makes the Land Surveyors in Malaysia look like fools and the government feel complicit somehow. Is there no authority that can clearly speak, than this MP vs. big company ‘word against the other’ b.s.?

KUALA LUMPUR — PAS has agreed to field non-Muslim candidates to contest in the coming general election in Sarawak and Johor.

Non-Muslim PAS Supporters Congress (DHPP) chairman, Hu Pang Chaw said they would contest in the Tiram State constituency in Johor and a parliamentary constituency in Sarawak.

“The matter is already agreed upon by PAS headquarters. DHPP has also asked PAS to field a candidate from DHPP for one seat in every state, regardless whether they are state or parliamentary seats.

“However, it is still at the discussion stage. The final decision depends on the PAS headquarters,” he told Bernama here, today.

DHPP is a wing of PAS representing their non-Malay and non-Muslim supporters.

Hu said a list of candidates from DHPP would be submitted to the PAS headquarters.

To date, candidates for Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Johor and Sarawak had been identified.

In the 2008 general election, PAS fielded a candidate from the Indian community to contest the Tiram State seat in the Johor Baharu Parliamentary Constituency.

However, the candidate R. Kumutha lost to Maulizan Bujang from Barisan Nasional.

(Bernama)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Does the Non-Muslim PAS Supporters Congress have equal rights and votes and standing in PAS party yet? If not, then this is still a gimmick. Fielding non-Muslim candidates who do not have equality of standing in a poliytical party would mean PUPPETS are fielded. Is Non-Muslim PAS Supporters Congress a group of puppets which does not ask that they have equal rights and standing as all other PAS members?

Bar Council Has Become A Political Party – Wednesday, 16 May 2012 16:15

PUTRAJAYA — As the Bar Council’s concern seems to border on the politics of the country, it appears to have become a political party, noted Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Thus, the former prime minister said, it should let other organisations take over the professional side (of the Bar Council) to avoid confusion.

“I think a professional organisation should concentrate more on the profession, but it is quite obvious that the Bar Council has become a political party.

“Next, we’ll have the Malaysian Medical Association, the architects, all becoming political parties, and there’ll be a lot of confusion,” he told
reporters here at the Perdana Leadership Foundation today.

Dr Mahathir was commenting on a proposal to form a new organisation for lawyers to represent their profession, welfare and legal interests, as the existing Bar Council had failed to defend itself as a professional body with integrity.

Asked to comment on Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim’s resignation from the DAP, he simply said: “I knew from the beginning that the DAP was not the party for him…I do not know why he joined (the DAP).”

Dr Mahathir, who is also Chancellor of Perdana University, earlier witnessed the signing of two memorandi of understanding (MoU) between the university with Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

The MoU with Mardi was to strengthen, facilitate, promote and develop cooperation and collaboration on agriculture research related to health, while the MoU with UPM was to strengthen, promote and develop sciences and academic cooperation between the two institutions.

Perdana University was launched last year, by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, with the objective of improving the quality of medical
education and healthcare in the country.

Currently, it has two medical schools. They are Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, in collaboration with John Hopkins University School of Medicine which offers a four-year graduate entry programme based on the United States curriculum, and PU-RCSI School of Medicine which offers a five-year programme based on a conventional curriculum of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).

(Bernama)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Good idea. All those lawyers should just replace the uneducated nepotistic, term limitess and racist scum in Dewan.

Aliran is shocked by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar’s glib reaction to the 10 May protest by Malaysian Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Iklas) members outside Ambiga Sreenevasan’s home.

“What offence? If you want to sit in front of her house without disrupting other people, there is no offence,” he states without a trace of human understanding.

“Which privacy? They didn’t enter her house, they were in public space,” he maintains without an inkling of the dangerous situation created by these trouble-makers intent on causing mischief outside Ambiga’s house.

Such comments coming from the No 2 man in the police force no less, encourages lawlessness and opens the flood gates to mischief-makers, hooligans and thugs to go on a rampage. His comments are unacceptable and unbecoming of a police officer of his rank who is entrusted with the peace and harmony of this country founded on the supremacy of the Federal Constitution.

Already, spurred on by his comments, another bigger rally involving 500 traders has been planned for 24 May.

On 14 May, a group of 15 men, believed to be army veterans, blatantly performed vulgar aerobics in front of Ambiga’s house. They even had the temerity to challenge her to sue them; otherwise they would return with a bigger crowd.

Like everyone else, Ambiga has every right to peace and safety where she resides. This peace and safety cannot be threatened with impunity in a civilised society.

She has every right to expect respect for her religion and culture just as others have a right to respect for their faith and way of life. But in a very callous manner of defiance, these people who put up stalls to distribute free beef burgers were completely oblivious to the fact that Ambiga is a Hindu and a vegetarian. They grilled beef patties outside her house in offensive disregard for her faith.

The harassment she is subjected to is as stark as daylight – but obviously not to the Deputy IGP who has, knowingly or otherwise, ignited a fuse that could take this country down the slippery path to lawlessness. We hold him responsible for this.

We are equally disturbed that the Prime Minister, the chief executive of this nation, has chosen to maintain a dangerous silence over such hooliganism and the danger the Deputy IGP is putting this nation into. If there is a breakdown of law and order, the PM and the Deputy IGP must be ultimately held responsible for this descent into what might turn out to be anarchy.

ALIRAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Those were the ‘Village People’, a well loved group of musicians! OUTSIDE Ambiga’s house. Not inside, whats the issue? Neighbours to the front, left right and behind also probably have cooked beef before, what is the issue?

ARTICLE 6

Provocative Actions Of Few Will Not Ruffle Najib – Friday, 18 May 2012 00:06

KUALA LUMPUR — The provocative actions of a few individuals during Najib Tun Razak’s meeting with Malaysians in London recently will not affect the confidence of the Prime Minister in continuing to interact with the people, said Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Deputy Prime Minister said as a statesman, Najib was an open-minded person and would not feel threatened by such circumstances.

“He (Najib) knows anything can happen (like what happened at the meeting), but the majority of those present welcomed him except for two or three malicious people who want to disrupt the function,” he told reporters after opening the annual general meeting of the Bumiputera Manunfacturers and Services Industry Association of Malaysia, here yesterday.

At the “An Evening with the Prime Minister” event in London on Tuesday during Najib’s two-day working visit to the United Kingdom, two or three out of the 1,500 people gathered there tried to disrupt the function by heckling Najib.

Muhyiddin, however, said although the act was rude and did not show respect for the nation’s number one leader, the government would not arbitrarily take action every time someone spoke out against the government.

On another matter, Muhyiddin said Tenaganita executive director Irene Fernandez was ill-informed about the actual situation in the country when she allegedly made wild allegations that Bangladeshis workers were poorly treated in Malaysia.

Questioning her motives for making such allegations, the Deputy Prime Minister said the government had never prevented foreign workers form returning to their own countries if they felt Malaysia was not safe and did not have laws to protect them, as claimed by Irene.

“However, I believe 99.9 per cent of them disagree with Irene Fernandez…so what is Irene Fernandez’s motive in denigrating Malaysia,” he said.

In fact, he said, at his meeting with Bangladesh’s minister in charge for the country’s citizens working overseas on Wednesday, the latter had asked the Malaysian government to lift its freeze on the intake of Bangladeshi workers.

“If Bangladeshi workers are poorly treated here, why would the Bangladesh government ask Malaysia to lift its freeze on hiring workers from the country,” he said.

Irene in a recent interview with Indonesia’s Jakarta Post newspaper is alleged to have claimed that Malaysia was an unsafe place for foreign workers and that it did not have a legal framework to protect them.

(Bernama)

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

BN has been provoking all Malaysians since the Constitution was written, PM Najib may not be ruffled but the rakyat are ALL ruffled by the lack of :

Provocative action of BN by INACTION on the above 3 items ruffling the Rakyat will cause a ruffling of PM Najib by loss of votes. Can PM Najib PLEASE use that mandate to grant the above 3 items to unruffle everything for everyone before the ruffling reaches PM Najib?

ARTICLE 7

Restore Decency, Civility To Politics And Public Life – by Lim Kit Siang – Friday, 18 May 2012 00:11

When the Prime Minister, Najib Razak spoke about “uncivilized enemies” who will lead Malaysia to ruin at the UMNO anniversary gathering at the Bukit Jalil Stadium last Friday, Malaysians immediately thought of two”uncivilized” acts which occurred only the day before – the Perkasa “funeral rite” in front of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s house in Penang and the setting up of a burger stall in front of the house of Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s house at Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

Since then there had been a third “uncivilized” act which had never happened before in Malaysian politics and public life in the nation’s 54-year history – the utterly insensitive and deplorable “butt” dance by a group of armed forces veteran in front of Ambiga’s house two days ago, with the promise of more and bigger “uncivilized” actions to come!

What is most shocking is that these “uncivilized” actions had at first the approval and support of important personalities in government – especially the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar and some Ministers who asked what was wrong with setting up a beef burger stall in front of Ambiga’s house.

As a result of the tide of adverse public reaction in the past week, there appears to be a belated realisation in some official circles that such insensitive and deplorable “uncivilised conduct” have gone beyond the pale of the acceptable and permissible for ordinary decent Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, class, gender or age.

This explains for the condemnation of these “uncivilized” actions by those who had earlier held their silence.

This is however completely inadequate.

The time has come to restore decency and civility to politics and public life in Malaysia.

The Prime Minister, Najib Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the Cabinet must come forward to speak loud and clear their condemnation of these three “uncivilized acts” in the past week and to set the tone and example for decency and civility in politics and public life in Malaysia enroute to a developed high-income nation in 2020.

LIM KIT SIANG

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Limitless terms (beyond 2 terms) for MPs are the most uncivilised thing possible. PLACING your own son as CM in an act of nepotism without consulting the people is the most uncivilised thing possible. Asking for 750K in funeral funds from the Rakyat is the most uncivilised thing possible. Not being able to keep campaign promises is the most uncivilised thing possible. Threatening to tear down people’s awnings on prvate property instead of amending by-laws is the most uncivilised thing possible. Was Mubarak Lim talking about DAP?

ARTICLE 8

Bar Council shakes off ‘political party’ tag, says only defends law – By Clara Chooi – May 18, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The Bar Council has refuted accusations calling it a political party, insisting that every statement it makes “is premised on legal principles or human rights”.

Its president Lim Chee Wee said the council has also been fair in its criticisms of both the government and opposition, dismissing claims that its views were biased.

The council came under heavy fire from Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians after it resolved during its extraordinary general meeting (EGM) last week to condemn what it alleged was excessive use of police force against Bersih 3.0 participants.

Umno minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad even labelled the council a “political party” and voiced support for the formation of a second Malaysian Bar as an alternative for lawyers.

“Every statement of the Bar is premised on a legal principle or human right, in this instance, the right of a Malaysian to be protected by the police and not harmed,” Lim (picture) said in an emailed statement to The Malaysian Insider.

“Both Nazri and Dr Mahathir failed to address the message of the Bar, namely why has the police failed to implement the recommendations of the past four Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) inquiries in dealing with assemblies?”

The recommendations from the commission included suggestions for law enforcement officers to be compelled to wear identification numbers; a five-stage crowd control process (verbal persuasion, use of non-lethal force, clear warning for dispersal, adequate time for dispersal and no arrests of dispersing crowd); and no assault on protesters.

Lim repeated that while proper restraint by the police was observed during Bersih 3.0’s simultaneous assemblies in Ipoh, Malacca, Johor Baru and Kuantan, the main rally in the capital was the complete opposite.

During the April 28 protest in KL, riot police had used tear gas canisters and water cannons to disperse protesters, many of whom have since alleged that the armed personnel had also assaulted them.

The council, as a part of its EGM resolution, had also demanded apologies from the police and home minister for the alleged use of indiscriminate force to disperse otherwise peaceful protesters.

But neither the government nor the police have since issued apologies and other than Nazri and Dr Mahathir, several anti-Bersih proponents had called the council biased towards the opposition.

Denying this, Lim pointed out that the council had also criticised the opposition in the past.

“The Malaysian Bar speaks up when the government does the right thing,” he added. “For example, the establishment of the National Legal Aid Foundation and better support of court infrastructure. Equally it will criticise when it makes a mistake, in this instance police brutality and wrongful use of force.”

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Really? So International law says that racism is ILLEGAL. Will Bar Council speak up AGAINST Malaysia’s unjust lack of :

On Wednesday, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) said in its report that a Pakatan Rakyat-led government was no guarantor of media freedom due to its banning of Utusan in Penang and Kelantan.

But the Penang chief minister insisted today that when it came to media freedom, newspapers must “walk the talk”.

“When you talk about newspapers, you have to be clear, are they newspapers or party organs? You cannot have party organs that masquerade as newspapers,” he told reporters at a press conference here.

“Utusan Malaysia is not a newspaper. It is a party organ because they don’t give you right of reply.”

He cited Utusan’s yearly reports that Penang had banned a march to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday as proof of the newspaper’s false reporting and reluctance to allow him to reply to its articles.

“Every year, Utusan says (the march) is banned, when actually it isn’t. Penang people know (that it is not banned). Penang Malays laugh because they themselves marched in it.”

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, said that despite refuting the newspaper’s articles on the matter, Utusan only stopped reporting it after he had sued them and won the case.

But he pointed out that as he could not sue Utusan “every day” for its “false reports”, he was left with no option but to bar its reporters from covering the state government proceedings in Penang.

“Even when I sue and won the case, they still continue. What can I do? It’s an act of self defence. I have no choice but to say ‘please don’t cover me and print my news’,” he said.

“It’s okay with me because I’m scared of you. I throw my hands up. Don’t cover me because you don’t give me the right of reply,” he said.

The Penang legislative assembly adopted a motion in May 2011 barring Utusan from covering its proceedings following unverified reports on the renovation costs of Lim’s rented residence, and an alleged plot by the DAP and Christian pastors to change the country’s official religion to Christianity.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

a) But the Penang chief minister insisted today that when it came to media freedom, newspapers must “walk the talk”.

“When you talk about newspapers, you have to be clear, are they newspapers or party organs? You cannot have party organs that masquerade as newspapers,” he told reporters at a press conference here.

Freedom of speech means that Guan Eng now should be charged under some freedom of speech act in law. If Utusan is worth anything, Utusan will sue on the free speech issue. Conversely would Utusan allow Playboy or Penthouse, or Hustler to be sold and bought by non-Muslims at least? This is no better than banning Playboy or Penthouse, or Hustler! GTFO of Dewan undemocratic nepotist! If anyone does not like Utusan, don’t buy thats all. Guan Eng has abused the CM’s office to destroy free speech, even that of a hated racist papers’. Wrongful sections could be demanded for retraction or removal, blacked out, or sued against, but no bans can be fairly applied.

b) “Utusan Malaysia is not a newspaper. It is a party organ because they don’t give you right of reply.”

Some of us sent DAP whole manuscripts in hopes of writing a better exposition of Malaysia’s situation which DAP willigly used no end and no word of thanks. They tried to destroy the writers instead. DAP is as bad as PAP possibly. Did DAP reply? DAP precluded right of reply. DAP has proven DAP is worse than Utusan.

c) “It’s okay with me because I’m scared of you. I throw my hands up. Don’t cover me because you don’t give me the right of reply,” he (Lim Guan Eng) said.

I’d say after the lawsuit, just send this nepotistic moron another platter of sh1t cakes, to remind about Malaysia’s lack of :

;and if not so faux-white Xian racist), to act by sending a MLK-style (delegation to UN, NAM and BRICS to end APARTHEID rather than take on every role except that of a true minority race leader seeking equality via the 3 items above.

Sixty-five native landowners are demanding that the government rescind provisional leases (PLs) issued against their lands, to private companies.

KUCHING: Native landowners from several longhouses in Balai Ringin continued with their protest for the third day running by camping at the Land and Survey headquarters carpark here in Kuching.

Spokesman for the native landowners Augustine Bagat said the community won’t budge until their problem is solved.

“We will continue to protest even until Gawai Dayak on June 1 as long as the Director of Lands and Surveys does not make any decision on our native customary rights (NCR) land which the department leased to three companies.

“We want to show we are very serious,” Bagat said.

Their protest by camping at the car park has attracted the attention of both the Opposition and the Barisan leaders.

A concerned Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan said the campers were his voters and he was “very concerned with their welfare.”

“I am prepared to mediate between the native landowners and the Land and Survey Department,” he said.

Meanwhile Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen who met with the protesters said that he would raise the matter in the current sitting of the Dewan Undangan Negeri.

“The delaying tactics by the Land and Survey is not helping the natives.

“This is the time when the people are standing up for their rights that the government has taken away their land. They are going to stay here until the problem is resolved.

“We call on all those who face similar problems to come and visit them in order to show solidarity with them,” said Chong, who is also Sarawak DAP secretary.

‘Policy change needed’

He said that this is not the only group that has suffered. Throughout Sarawak there are hundreds of thousands of natives whose lands have been taken away from them.

“This is very unfair on the part of the state government which only turns a blind eye to their problem.

“Actually the government is working in cohorts to take away NCR lands from the natives,’ he said, pointing out that the problems are created by the system.

Chong said only through a change of policy could the problem be resolved.

The natives first brought their case to the Director of Lands and Surveys in January this year asking him to cancel the provisional leases on their land.

On March 17, the same group again tried to meet the director. The director refused to talk to them. Instead he sent a junior officer to deal with them.

Earlier on May 14, the group had tried (for the third time) to see the director. Again the director refused to meet them. A junior officer was sent to talk to them saying that their problems are yet to be solved.

Unhappy and angry the 65 natives – men and women – refused to go home and made their camps in the car park in front of the Land and Survey headquarters to show their protest.

But in the evening, only 30 protesters camped at the car park while the rest went home.

They were, however, relieved by another group in the morning.

“While one group of 30 people goes home, another group of 30 comes in to replace them. We will eat and sleep in the camps.

“We will do it (the protest) for the next few days or even until Gawai Dayak on June 1. This is to show how serious we are,” said Bagat.

Lands bulldozed, farms destroyed

According to Bagat, three companies – Memaju Jaya, United team trade and Tetangga Arkab – were given the PLs to plant oil palm in their NCR land.

One of the companies is allegedly owned by the former Kedup assemblyman, Frederick Bayoi Manggie.

His company is said to have been awarded 5,500 acres of land, the bulk of it is NCR land. The native landowners alleged that their land was part of a deal for Manggie to step down as elected representative.

His place was taken over by Martin Ben.

“Our lands have been bulldozed and fruit trees, rubber gardens and farms destroyed,” said Bagat, adding that the government had refused to talk with them.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

File lawsuits at the UN, NAM, BRICS for illegal land alienation. Don’t even bother talking to the racist or corruption beholden Judiciary and legal system.

The interview recently conducted with Tunku Abdul Aziz has uncovered the dark side of Lim Guan Eng. It has proven that Lim Guan Eng misuses his power to freeze out any dissidents within the party causing the party to be in a stir of mess. It really is a futile effort by Lim Guan Eng to try to conceal his autocratic, despotic leadership style in DAP anymore.

Tunku Abdul Aziz’s decision to quit the party has exposed the real façade of DAP. The true colors of Lim Guan Eng are now revealed, showing us that he not only hides skeletons in the closet, but he also cannot tolerate any conflicting opinions by its members.

According to the media, Tunku Abdul Aziz has previously raised to the DAP Central Committee Members several incidences where DAP leaders had knowingly broken the law. However, his words of caution were not heeded and were shunned upon, telling us that the party’s leadership turns a blind eye to the ill-discipline of its members, allowing law-breakers to roam free.

When Lim Guan Eng, the Secretary-General of DAP, said that time will tell when who is right, he is merely trying to escape criticisms aimed towards him by hoping that over time, the people will forget all the misdeeds he has done. It is all part of his usual ploy to divert the people’s attention and to let the issue subside.

Tunku Abdul Aziz has personally said that the decision to leave the party was one that relieves him as he is glad that he has escaped the despotism of DAP politicians. His departure has exemplified that there exists deep-rooted dissatisfaction and discord among DAP party members.

When Tunku Abdul Aziz first joined DAP, he supported the ideal of a multi-racial political party fighting for the interests and well-being of the people from multiple races. Now, his departure has proven that DAP is not as what they claimed. They are using the name ‘multi-racial party’ as a mockery, to disguise themselves as a Chinese-based party ruling the Chinese.

TEE SIEW KIONG is MCA National Organising Secretary

(The views expressed above belongs to the author in its entirety and does not represent the opinion of Malaysian Mirror in any way)

(The Star) – There are many DAP leaders who go against the very laws they help draw up, even within the states where they form the government, said Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim.

He said these leaders failed to see the “whole picture” on the need to maintain high ethics and integrity at all times and on all issues.

The former Transparency International country head said he had spoken out many times at the central executive committee (DAP’s highest ruling body) meetings about such unethical behaviour but it had always fallen on deaf ears.

He added that he was nave to think that the very political principles and ideals, like freedom of speech, that he held dear were also shared by the whole DAP.

“There was a key party member who set up the Rocket Caf in Petaling Jaya and this was done without the council approval.

“When other members raised this, it was pushed under the rug and no action was taken,” he said in an interview.

Tunku Aziz pointed out that this was happening in Selangor where the DAP was the leading member of the ruling coalition.

He claimed that many of the party leaders did not realise the importance of local councils although it was the main point of contact between the people and the government.

“In this case, the DAP is part of the government and if the people have a bad impression, then it is a reflection on themselves.”

Tunku Aziz also cited another case of abuse where another “key leader” prevented council enforcement officers from taking action against illegal hawkers.

“He protected the hawkers just because they are DAP supporters. That is wrong and unethical. I raised this case (in the CEC) but I could see that they were not comfortable with it. They must realise ethical issues are important. Integrity issues are important.”

He said the DAP and PKR had done a fairly decent job of running Selangor and Penang but he was worried about the consequences of their unethical transgressions.

He cited the letter by Damansara Utama DAP assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin to the party complaining about a wide range of shortcomings in the Selangor administration as “the tip of the problems”.

“I agree that one or two of the DAP executive councillors need to be closely watched. Can these people be trusted with bigger responsibility if this is how the DAP and its Pakatan Rakyat allies behave?” he asked when questioned if they were ready to administer the country.

On Penang, Tunku Aziz said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng spent too much time blaming the previous administration for everything but conceded that the state was well managed.

He also questioned Lim’s style of leadership, saying: “To be a good leader, one must be a good listener. Guan Eng needs to listen more.”

Here’s a full version of the Q&A with Tunku Aziz.

Q: So how was last night?

A: I thought it went very well, you know.

Well, of course my telephone didn’t stop ringing for two hours. I had to turn it off because I couldn’t cope with the number of calls coming in and the number of SMSes coming in from all over the place.

Do you know how many calls you had?

> I think quite a few dozen (calls) actually. I don’t know who they were because they were not people I know, because if they were then I would know. The name would appear on the screen. I believe people from the media, I would say. I took just one, someone I knew from Sin Chew. But even then I said, nothing really to say tonight after what I said on TV.

Were there any calls from the DAP party leaders?

> None. There were none. Messages came from party members. All saying that they respected my decision and they were sorry I’d decided to call it quits.

Did you inform the DAP leaders before the thing was broadcast that you’re going to quit?

Well, several days ago, I think soon after Bersih, I had mentioned in my email to the secretary-general that in view of what they said was the sentiment on the ground against me. I said I would resign from the CEC. And after a suitable, decent interval, I would resign from the party if it would restore the harmony within DAP. They did not respond to this, but Kit Siang made two visits to my house basically to say that he hoped very much that it wouldn’t come to that.

Was this a friendly visit? Not in official capacity?

> No! You see, Kit Siang and I get on extremely well together, We are friends. So the visit was a friendly visit, it was just between two friends. The last visit was somewhere last week. But they knew there was going to be this broadcast because I asked the Headquarters’ Chief of Staff to let all the CEC members know that I was going to be on this programme. I suppose they must have had some inkling.

No one called you saying Tunku, please don’t go on air?

> Kit Siang said that he would leave it to my wisdom, but he didn’t say not to go on air, but you know He knew that I would use my wisdom. Their main fear was that this might be exploited.

I wanted it to be a dignified exit, and to be fair. Because I am not against the party, I am not against the party at all. I am just against the attitude adopted by the secretary-general. Particularly when he first got in touch with me, it was to accuse me of going against the party position. Which was to support Bersih.

I at no time had withdrawn my support for Bersih. I have always supported Bersih for what Bersih stands for. I’ve spoken for free and fair elections on several occasions. Not as vice-chairman of DAP but in my other capacities. So to say that Tunku is opposed to Bersih is something that the party and Pakatan Rakyat had been working hard to promote, is a little disingenuous.

And somehow it smacks of a reluctance or inability to see the difference between supporting free and fair election activity, and not supporting these activities if they were illegal. There is that distinction which I think they purposely ignored, because Lim Guan Eng, in his rebuke, was rebuking me for something I hadn’t done.

Would you say that your relationship with Guan Eng was not very cordial even before this? You were invited in by the father, but do you think the son was ever really keen on you?

> My relationship with Guan Eng before this was cordial, but a bit ambivalent. Both (Kit Siang and Guan Eng) invited me, and because of my great respect for Kit Siang I did not hesitate in the least because if felt that this would give me an opportunity to be in a party without being a politician, and was an opportunity to continue with my work in promoting integrity, both in the government and corporate sector.

In other words, the opportunity to be engaged in fighting corruption, which was my main mission in life. Because no other party actually had come out openly to say, you know, we will fight corruption but DAP has maintained its position insistently. It was very attractive.

This was your maiden venture into politics?

> Absolutely.

Are you bitter about it, four years later having to resign from the party?

> I think I was a little naive in thinking that the ideals that I had would be in fact the ideals that DAP actually practised. I don’t know about the other political parties but I expect they would be much the same.

As a man who has always been fighting against things that are unethical, would you say DAP as a party was ethical after four years of being inside?

> I wouldn’t say so. Well, for example… one of the key party members set up the Rocket Caf in Petaling Jaya, and this was done without Council approval being obtained. And when other members of the party raised this, it was just pushed under the rug and no action was taken. To me, this is not on.

Because Pakatan Rakyat is the government of Selangor and DAP controls in terms of its numbers the local councils within Selangor, PJ, and what have you.

Although people say “oh, it is a small matter”, to me, it is an important fundamental issue because you have broken your own by-laws. And if you are cavalier in your attitude to the law that you have made then, to me, it shows very sad state of affairs and bad judgment.

Did you raise the issue?

> I raised the issue, but you could see that it was not something they were comfortable with. And if you see recently Dr Cheah’s reports in The Star (Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin), this is the same kind of issue.

There are good people within DAP who want to see that we do things in an ethical manner, but there are others who you know will just go ahead in breaking their own rules. If you do this, sooner or later people are going to ask, can these people really be trusted with a bigger job?

What other things worry you in the Selangor administration?

> I think that while on the whole they have managed the state well we have to give them credit for that one or two of their exco members probably need to be put under closer scrutiny. I think what Dr Cheah has highlighted is probably the tip of the problems.

And your pronouncement on Penang? Is it much better than Selangor?

> I think Penang is well-run. I’ll say it’s well-run, but there are things which need to be improved upon. You see, the thing that has worried a lot of people is the fact that several years into the administration of Penang, there is a great tendency to keep blaming the past administration. It is almost like a case of a bad workman blaming his tools.

You are very well-known as a man of integrity, so I have to ask this question. Bersih was not the only problem you had with party leadership, was it? Were there other things?

> No. I mean, you know, the open sort of disagreement subsequently was Bersih. But there are obviously, in any sort of organisation or party, things that you are not entirely happy with but they’re not terribly significant to upset you to the extent that you would even think of withdrawing yourself.

But for me, ethical issues are important. Integrity issues are important. That’s perhaps why I am naive, because I believe that integrity you either have it or you don’t. You can’t say, you know, yes, this is 70 percent …

There is no glass half-full for integrity.

> You either have it or you don’t have it. For example, when the council decides to take action against illegal hawkers, one of our key figures would intervene to say don’t touch these people; don’t take any action because they are party supporters. To me, this is an act that is tantamount to interfering, serious interference in the operating system and the administration of local government.

Many of our people forget that local government is where the public first experiences dealing with the government. Many of them will never have to deal with Putrajaya or any of the ministries, but for the average person like you or me living in particular district or area, it’s all local government.

Would Tunku Aziz a Malay have been received in the same manner if he were Malaysian-Chinese? Your invitation, the position in which you leave Was any of it a racial move?

> I don’t think so. Except, I’m dealing with someone who does not seem to be able to see the whole picture and assist it in giving his slant to what is essentially a very straightforward matter.

I support Bersih but I do not support breaking the law. As simple as that. But you check that rebuke of me and there’s no mention that I was not against Bersih but merely against sitting at Dataran Merdeka because the court had ordered the participants not to breach it and the owner of the land.

They argued, it’s not city council. But to me, whoever is in charge of that place, they have responsibility. If they say “sorry, not here” (then that’s that). It’s things like that which really upset me.

So what next?

> Well, I have given very careful consideration to the what’. The action I have taken was not something that was done in the heat of moment, I consulted my immediate family and close friends, and all have said the same thing.

The party is obviously not ready to accommodate someone like me. I’m known for my plain speaking and I cannot just suppress my comments or feelings when things are done in a way that, to me, aren’t ethical.

So, the future. You know when I joined the party, I had no ambition to be anything but a member, and try to see if I could bring to bear on the party as a whole some of the values grounded in integrity and ethics, good governance, the fight against corruption, et cetera.

I never asked to be made vice chairman, then when they said they were going to make me that, I said fine. I never begged to be appointed as senator because I have never been a supplicant. I have never asked the government for any help or assistance, although you know as a Bumi I could have done that.

But I thought that because I was and still continue to be against the new economic policy. Particularly when I saw that they were departing from the original purpose. So to me, I never asked, I would never ask,

I would consider that as below my dignity. But when my term was ending, the Dewan mentioned that my term would be up and they sent a letter to that effect to the Penang government.

At that point, I sent Guan Eng a little note from my iPhone that this was coming up and if you are thinking of extending my term, I am available to serve and that was all.

He said yes, okay, and then he very kindly said to me at one of our recent CEC meetings that he would certainly put my name up and in fact he was going to announce it at the CEC but was reminded that he couldn’t, shouldn’t do it, because the matter had to go back to DAP Penang and then to the state government.

Then after the statement on Bersih, Kit Siang saw me and said it was unfortunate with the senatorship coming up that this had come about.

He said it may be a bit difficult for them to nominate me again. And I said to him, if this is going to cause any problem for the party, please do not put my name up, because not having my term renewed is really no skin off my nose.

I never asked for it in the first place and I do not want my being re-nominated to be the cause of disharmony within the party. So they did exactly what I told them to do not put my name up.

Somehow I don’t think they would have put your name up anyway.

> Oh, absolutely. Am sure they welcomed it. But I wanted my position to be entirely clear. I am not pushing myself forward. The party, as I also said to them, no man is bigger than the party. If in your opinion I have transgressed, I would expect you to take action. I encourage that. Put me through the disciplinary procedure.

When did you tell them this? Immediately after getting the rebuke or before that?

> After getting the rebuke. He (Guan Eng) made the point that I had done this, that, and the other. If they’re saying that I’ve done something so serious that it requires disciplinary action, I said go ahead and do it because that’s what leadership is all about.

Leadership is about tackling unpleasant tasks and not evading them. I told Guan Eng, I would think a lot more of you if you took appropriate action. Going to be difficult but this is your duty in the interest of the party.

What did he say?

> Absolutely nothing, No reaction. No reaction to me suggesting that I want to resign from the CEC and after a decent interval, as I did not want the whole thing to be seen as a rushed job, I would leave the party.

Here’s a very unfair question. Is Guan Eng disappointment as a leader? You obviously have great admiration for his father.

> The son is a different kettle of fish. I don’t want to get personal. He is a good leader, apart from other qualities. Leaders must be good listeners, this is from my observation.

So is he a good listener?

> By my reckoning, he should learn to listen more and give everybody a chance to be heard.

You have to first learn to be, I think, a little modest because it’s not for you to say how well you’re doing or how well you’ve done for Penang. Let the people of Penang decide. That is really the true measure of your achievement. When people say “well done Guan Eng”. But for you to scream your head off about CAT (a DAP slogan standing for “competency, accountability, and transparency”)? What is CAT? Cat is a slogan. But to him no. But when it comes to 1Malaysia, 1Malaysia is just a slogan. But CAT is not.

If all this didn’t happen, would you contest as candidate if you were asked?

> Yes.

Did anyone speak to you about that?

> No.

No one spoke to you about this?

> No one, although I did say to Guan Eng, Kit Siang, if they needed, if they were short of any candidates and felt I could be of any use, I was ready. You know, even at my age, if the party felt they needed my services, I am ready to serve.

Is this your last venture into politics?

> Absolutely, no question there. But what really made me finally decide to leave although I was thinking very seriously about what I should do was last Sunday at about 8.43AM, I had a phone call from Guan Eng. I don’t know whether to describe it as an act of contrition or whether he felt that I needed to be compensated for the loss of the Senate seat.

He offered me – now this really staggered my imagination offered me a senior fellowship at the Penang Institute, dangling travel as one of the attractions… And I said I’d have to think about it. This was followed up yesterday, after I had made up my mind.

His aide rang me at lunchtime yesterday to repeat his boss’s offer, but added that this time there would be a stipend of RM50,000 a year, along with other things. I regard this offer as totally insulting.

Totally totally insulting, and I could only conclude that it had come from someone who had no sense and not even a modicum of respect. Did he think I was that kind of person? What an insult. You rebuked me for the wrong reason, you removed my senate position, and then you offered a fellowship at Penang Institute. This man has gone out of his senses.

This was the clincher as far as I was concerned. This man has no sense of decency, in other words.

He ignored your emails, he insulted you… And I guess as a man of ethics and integrity, this Penang Institute sounded like a bribe.

> It’s a bribe, it’s a salve for my hurt pride. To me, as a senior person… I’m trying to find an English word for this behaviour, and I cant. The only word is a Malay word, and it’s “biadap”. I mean, that’s what really made me decide I will not work with this man. I am prepared to be rebuked, but the reason for the rebuke must be made very clear, you know.

Do you think that he was under pressure from Anwar Ibrahim or someone else to do all this?

> I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, but Kit Siang did say that there’s a lot of pressure from Pakatan Rakyat. And at that point I said to him, I did not join Pakatan Rakyat. As far as I am concerned, I couldn’t care less. I joined DAP. I am a DAP man. I am a DAP member. The fact that we are part of the coalition is a different matter, but I’ve not sold my soul to the party, and certainly not to Pakatan Rakyat.

You seemed reluctant to talk about Anwar the other night. Any particular reason?

> I wanted to keep it on a dignified level. I made it very plain at the start that I’d have to be very careful about what I said. I want to be fair and Guan Eng isn’t here to defend the party or defend himself. But Anwar, I have never been an admirer of Anwar. I don’t even know him.

Which is why it is surprising. Following your appointment was the height of DAP PKR coalition.

> That’s right, they’d just won elections. The great honeymoon period.

Is Guan Eng under pressure from Anwar because they are close to winning Putrajaya?

> I can’t really be 100% certain, but one never knows. For them, it’s political expediency. It doesn’t matter because I don’t think they’d give two hoots about anything or anybody who stands in their way. Asking too questions, raising issues, and so on.

So were the coalition in support of Bersih? Had they made it known?

> I think they had, all the top boys. All the three parties, it was generally accepted that we were behind it. Sending out messages on Twitter and this and that, getting people to come.

I support Bersih objectives, as long as they don’t cross the police line. My instinct told me that this was not going to end peacefully, from experience, stories, reports you have read from other parts of the world. All demonstrations particularly street demos start off peacefully but the average rate of success where they end peacefully is very small.

So how do you feel?

> I feel liberated from the tyranny of demagogy. It’s a blessed relief, I received so many wonderful messages of encouragement from people like Koh Tsu Koon, the president of the Senate, many others.

Nine people came to see me, we sat down and had a drink together. These people they have tried to, well, transform DAP at their level. They find there is so much cronyism, so many cliques. You don’t belong to the leadership clique, you’re out, You make an unfavourable comment, you’re out. I suppose no party is free from all this.

> At the moment I think this is as close as they will ever get because the so-called coalition is very fragile as they have not been able to resolve some very fundamental questions before going to elections that need to be addressed.

For example, the Muslim state. I do not know how they are going to resolve this because PAS will not abandon it. It is the central pillar of their religious and political beliefs. It’s like asking someone to abandon their principles.

Is this what you observed?

> This is what I saw from the inside. DAP, for example, is not happy with the current ambivalent attitude from PAS. One day they say yes, we won’t be a Muslim state, the next day say they will be. For the sake of political expediency they need to show they are united but that unity is not grounded in any kind of deep foundation.

It doesn’t take a lot, you can see, for Karpal (Karpal Singh, DAP national chairman) to show his displeasure. How can you go into battle when your strategy is compromised by different ideologies?

What about the recent reforms made by the current government?

> I see the whole thing not as a product that you can pick up off the shelf of a supermarket. This whole thing is the government trying to respond to the needs of the people. I see this as series of processes.

This is why I said they may not be perfect, a lot of that is still a work in progress, but a process needs a little time. We have waited for so long. Under the previous administrations, we articulated these concerns of ours but they were totally ignored. So for the first time we have a government who for reasons of its own is listening. Again, maybe for political expediency.

But as far as the average person on the street is concerned, that is not his worry. His worry is that some of the things which he feels are not in place are not being looked at. So while I don’t agree with the government all the time, my disagreement has to do with policies, policy issues.

I have never made it a habit to condemn everything someone does, whether it’s government or opposition or individuals because I believe that it’s not all bad. By the same token, not everything is good. We want the government to take into account the feelings of the people, what it is the people want.

This is why I support Bersih for free and fair elections. They have raised awareness. But they have done enough now, the government is listening. Give the government a chance to put right what we see as inadequacies within the electoral system, for example.

I am naive and sometimes very stupid, but I believe I’m doing the right thing.

So what do you think of the rumours that you’ve been bought?

> Tunku Aziz has been paid? The moment I expressed my view on Bersih getting involved in breaking the law, people did not stop to think about what I was against. They seem to believe that I was opposed to Bersih. And it didn’t help when my own party’s rebuke attributed my opposition in the wrong manner. To me it was a little dishonest because I feel I was rebuked for the wrong reason. I would take any rebuke like a man but there must be fairness, justice and equity. Things I have always fought for and stood for.

Some have said I was bought over by Umno. Even yesterday I received a lot of messages asking me to confirm whether I was leaving DAP to join Umno because the rumour mill had started. Of course I denied it and explained that I am not a frog. In any case, I haven’t seen colour of their money. The rumour is just a rumour that I left to join Umno, was paid millions by MCA, I am a Trojan horse, I am a mole.

I have all along been undermining DAP as a Trojan horse, but the point is it’s not as if I asked to join to be a mole or Trojan horse. I was invited to join and I tell you that I do not know anyone in Umno. Not one Umno official. I do not know any one of them.

So what is next for you?

> Whatever I do, I want to serve our country, and I think I have had the benefit of a lot of exposure, both in business as well as international organisations like the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat. If the government or anyone thinks I could be useful, I’m happy to do that for our country.

But absolutely no politics. As they say, once bitten twice shy. But in this case once bitten, forever shy. Sekali cukup la.

Commentator Comments :
…
written by crp, May 16, 2012 12:06:12
Everybody have their view and understanding of certain issues. But when in one family you dont have father and everyone plays a father role than its difficult to run the house hold. same goes here when Pakatan dont have understanding and agrrement on important issues how are they planning to run the goverment. Good leader must be a good listener and cares for everyone inrespect of race or relligion . . .

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Tunku should lead 3rd Force. Or run as an independent candidate against Mr.Biadap parachute nepotist.

The state-funded institute told a press conference earlier today the offer was still on the table for the former DAP vice-chairman despite his resignation from the party on Monday.

“They must be utterly mad. Do they really think they can tell people it is not a DAP think tank?” the 78-year-old told The Malaysian Insider.

Penang Institute executive director Datuk Woo Wing Thye was quoted by The Star as saying that he would be “very happy if he accepts it” and the offer was not tied to whether the founding president of Transparency International Malaysia was a party member. “We realised that we had the possibility of bringing to Penang Institute a well-respected public intellectual with an international reputation,” Woo said.

But Tunku Aziz said that “they can want anybody or anything but I’m not going to be a part of it.”

“They can forget it,” he said over the phone before hanging up.

Tunku Aziz, who was the party’s most senior Malay leader, quit DAP on national television after being publicly rebuked by secretary-general Lim Guan Eng for not supporting the April 28 Bersih rally, which the former called “an illegal street protest.”

He then openly criticised DAP, singling out Lim for being “biadap (uncouth)” and untrustworthy.

The ex-Bank Negara advisor told The Star that Lim had called him on Sunday offering him a senior fellowship in Penang Institute and “[dangled] travel as an attraction” after his tenure as senator was not renewed.

“Zairil Khir Johari (Lim’s political secretary) called and repeated the offer and stated there was a stipend of RM50,000 to go with it.

“Totally totally insulting, and I could only conclude that it had come from someone who had no sense and not even a modicum of respect,” he had said.

But DAP and the Penang Institute have insisted that the job offer was “genuine” and that it had nothing to do with Tunku Aziz leaving the party or to compensate the loss of his senatorship.

DAP has tried to reach out to Malays, who make up 60 per cent of the 12-million strong electorate, by recruiting leaders such as Tunku Aziz.

But he has conceded his failure to win over the community to the Chinese-dominated party that has been accused by Umno of being anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

“Today I withhold this keris. But if one day I can’t tolerate anymore, I will use the keris against the enemy of this land!”

– Speaker at Anti-LGBT Rally, 12 Apr 2012

When the speaker at the Anti-LGBT rally talked about killing whoever he imagined is “the enemy of this land”, and by enemy he implied anyone who advocates for the human rights of LGBTs, the authorities looked the other way. But when Seksualiti Merdeka appealed for understanding, compassion and equality, it was deemed a threat to the national security and was banned by the police.

Have we gotten so used to threats that we are now threatened by compassion? Or could it be that we can no longer tell the difference between those making threats and those upholding the law? Look at what is happening at Dataran Merdeka this week. By brute force, the authorities have attempted to subdue those who dare to question their authority. If that fails, they will try to snuff out our hope for change by applying administrative terrorism.

It’s not just the police and the DBKL. I’m afraid the courts are no better. Seksualiti Merdeka’s judicial review of the ban was thrown out by a judge who insisted that the police’s power cannot be reviewed, effectively allowing the police a caveat to abuse its power unchallenged.

Last week, a teenager was charged for assaulting a Mak Nyah with a metal rod. He was fined a mere RM400. Meanwhile, when Mak Nyahs around the country are arrested under Syariah offences for expressing themselves and not hurting anybody, they are fined RM1000 each and sent for counselling. We try to rehabilitate these Mak Nyahs for being too gentle, but these men who are so insecure about their masculinity they need to prove it through violence, we let them out to play after a smack on the hand.

So, at the forum titled “Homosexuality: A right or a crime?” at International Islamic University Malaysia two weeks ago, when the question was posed by an audience, “Aren’t the laws we already have enough to protect the LGBTs? We have laws for murder, for physical assault, for wrongful termination at work, etc. Are they not enough?” I can say, the answer is no.

In this article, I am less interested in what JMM said than in how they get away with what they say. I am interested in how the government of the day, which is supposed to be neutral, takes the side of the bullies against the bullied.

With bullies running the country, many LGBTs find themselves hiding further and further beyond the margins of the legal, beyond the reach of the laws that deem them unfit for society. Making a person think he deserves no justice is NO different from denying him justice. And that is how many LGBTs are denied one of the most fundamental rights of being human: the right to justice.

THE BULLY’S CHARTER

Malaysians don’t seem to understand that a just system is one in which minorities are protected from the majority, not the other way round. The most important minority is the minority of one. And if the law protects this minority against the tyranny of the majority, then it protects everyone. All of us!

Unfortunately, that is not the case in Malaysia. Not only does Malaysian justice not care about inequality, it seems to thrive on it. Some laws in Malaysia are effectively a bully’s charter.

Case in point: there is no law against homosexuality in Malaysia yet many believe it is a crime to be gay and lesbian. People may cite penal code “377a” and “377b”. But according to the wording of the statute, the crime is committed when ANYONE introduces his penis into a mouth or anus. Yes, ANYONE. I’m sorry to break it to you heteros: it is a crime for a husband to receive blowjobs from a wife too. You like this law so much, how about we knock down all your bedroom doors now and check?

Clearly both heterosexual and homosexual oral and anal sex are illegal but where the public and the state are concerned, it is a law against homosexuality. This is because “377” only targets men who have sex with men. If that is not discriminatory, then I don’t know what is.

That’s why many LGBTs don’t bother to seek redress to injustice they suffered. They are simply too disempowered by the perceived illegality of their very existence. They are too busy hiding from an imaginary law.

“YOU ARE A DEVIL!”

I know of a girl in Sabah whose mom found out she was in love with another girl. Her mom hit her repeatedly till she was bleeding. She was then locked up in the house for four months. The only times she was let out of the house was when she was sent for counselling during which she was told, “You are a devil. You are a devil.” There are many other girls like her in Malaysia locked up by parents because they fell in love.

I know of a teenaged guy from Penang who was kicked out from the home when his parents cannot accept that he wants to be a man, not the girl he was born as. For being born that way, many transgender folks are kicked out from homes by the very people who gave birth to them that way. Where are the laws to protect children from their own parents? How will they even know what the laws are?

Even those old enough to know the laws can’t do anything about it. I know of a lecturer from Petaling Jaya whose friend threatened to expose his sexual orientation to the university unless the friend was rewarded to keep quiet. He paid up. He had been discreet about his sexuality because he feared such a situation. But his secret also made him vulnerable. Many gay employees and bosses, professionals and civil servants, go to work daily afraid of being exposed. After years of alienation, they may have found comfort in a relationship. Yet this relationship threatens to ruin them. So many give in to blackmailers. How can they seek justice without risking exposure?

I know of a Mak Nyah from Melaka who was arrested for “cross-dressing” and was kicked by the arresting officers until she fell into a coma. She was persuaded to charge them for assault, but in the end, she changed her mind. She wasn’t sure if anyone could guarantee her safety from further assaults by these officials. Many Mak Nyahs suffer physical, emotional, sexual abuse at the hands of religious officers and police officers. Where are the laws to protect them from being abused by law enforcers?

Many LGBTs are spat at, insulted and punished as if we are worse criminals than the corrupt politicians who rob whole countries dry. Why would we be foolish enough to dream that the country would help us?

Once you are betrayed by your own parents, by your bosses, by your friends, by your own country, you will find it hard to trust anyone again. Once you hear about how LGBTs are beaten senseless by law enforcers, as an LGBT you will find it hard to trust the laws again.

WHERE ARE THE LAWS?

The laws are there. But they’re out of reach.

Living in a country where justice exists – but not for you – is like growing up in a family where love exists – but not for you. For many LGBTs, such countries and such families are part of our reality.

Both conditions form a vicious circle out of which there seems to be no escape. In order to deserve love, we pretend to be someone else. In order to maintain the pretence, we keep quiet in the face of injustice. By pretending and keeping quiet, we find ourselves at the mercy of those who take advantage of us. Thus more pretending, more keeping quiet, more being taken advantage of.

When I mentioned at the Islamic University forum how the justice system have failed LGBTs, I was offered this reply by a panellist: “Do we not treat criminals different from non-criminals?”

Like many Malaysians, she accepts unquestioningly that being an LGBT is a crime. She called it an immorality but never explained how it is immoral. Throwing children out from homes, blackmailing and beating up mak nyahs are just different ways of treating these “criminals”. Never mind that nobody should be called a criminal until proven guilty. Never mind that throwing minors out of homes, blackmailing, and physical assault are crimes in themselves. Being an LGBT must be a crime so great that others are justified in perpetrating further crimes upon us.

No wonder some Malaysians think it is okay to make violent threats and get away with it. Because they can.

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

At the end of that forum that night, it occurred to me that while both sides of the debate referred to the laws this and the laws that, we actually meant completely different things. When we referred to “the laws”, we were thinking of an instrument that protects people. When some people refer to “the laws”, they were thinking of an instrument that punishes people.

This disparity reveals the opposing philosophies: people as innocent until proven guilty vs people as inherently guilty, in need of control and guidance from the state. One’s justice is fairness, equality, protection of rights. Another’s justice is vengeance, a show of might, reminding the minorities to toe the line.

Our words sound the same but they mean such different things that we are practically speaking different languages from each other. We might as well be talking to ourselves. Perhaps we are, and that’s the problem.

We need to introduce Malaysians to a radical concept: There is more than one definition to a word. More than one side to a story. More than one way to run a country.

More radical still: The state’s job is to facilitate as neutral as possible a space in which all definitions, all sides and all the different ways can dialogue.

That is why we need to get rid of discriminatory laws. We also need to send a stronger message to those who use violence, who threaten with violence, who endorse violence, that it is never okay. Fines and prison time won’t change them. But education may. Too many Malaysians display shocking ignorance about the way the universe and the human body work. That they are in the parliament is even more depressing. They are walking proof that what we need is a revolution in education.

If we just clean one thing at a time, we are practically doing janitorial work. We also have to reform the very fundamental ways we understand governance, democracy, justice. Without a paradigm shift, we are just cleaning up this paradigm’s shit.

FIGHTING FOR THE SAME

Whether it is the indigenous peoples in their ancestral lands or the Occupy Dataran folks at Dataran Merdeka or the students at their universities, the increasing scuffles with the authorities reveal today that the struggle for justice is not peculiar just to LGBTs. They are reflections of how far justice is from those who truly need it.

We are stuck with pleading for justice from the very ones who have perverted justice. It is like the grass begging for mercy from the grass cutter. No thanks.

We need to believe that we are first the people, REGARDLESS of sexual orientation and gender identity. We need to take back the act of defining words that are important to us. We need to tell our stories. We need to stake claim to all the public spaces till they belong to everyone again.

I applaud everyday Malaysians who tirelessly champion for the changes we need in this country. Indigenous peoples, refugees, students, the poor, minorities, LGBTs, women, political dissidents, religion believers, voters, we are fighting for the same: to be seen as human first. What you believe makes you human and what I believe makes me human are just as important.

The real enemy of this land is inequality. There is no more important struggle today than the struggle for equality. It is by recognising we are all equal before the law that the democracy for which we fight becomes truly meaningful.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Again march, gather, complain, but no lawsuits against the people who refuse to amend laws. A single aye or nay from all 222 MPs will determine who is liable to be included in that lawsuit that can be filed at the UN, NAM, International Criminal Court or even applications for degrees of the MPs who went nay to changing of laws to legalise and protect LGBTs. If Pang is serious, he will carry out the above plan instead of floundering around marches. Remove the degrees, damn the anti-LGBT MPs. Targetting the private individuals threatening murder is the last step, the first only effective step is lawsuits against the anti-LGBT MPs and the removal of all degrees from such persons EVEN within the entire legal profession of 14,000+ lawyers and the ‘Law Minister’ of the day.

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, and as such I feel compelled to write something that is being viewed as most of Malaysia with a stigma that has reached truly frightening proportions. First and foremost, let us review some facts.

Homosexuality is not a mental disorder, as one Dr Marshitah, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, can so casually suggest without any reference from the Malaysian Psychiatric Association. Being gay or lesbian has not been seen as a mental disorder since 1979 and, in fact, her view point is not even recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Similarly, there is no just cause, religious or civil, to suggest that transgender people should be beaten up, as what has happened in Kuantan in the months passed, with no further word from the police up till now on what actions will be taken against them.

Instead of providing education that homosexuality is a normal occurrence, having been recorded in hundreds of animal species of avian, mammalian and reptilian descent, we have a government education system, a non-government organization and even religious leaders who still come out and state that homosexuality is something that is unnatural. The evidence is of course to the contrary.

The simple truth is that homosexuality has now become the new boogeyman in Malaysia for purely selfish reasons. It does not affect the work of a doctor, nor does it make any civil servant less or more of a capable leader, as suggested by a certain Parliament member through his ludicrous call to screen future elected leaders for homosexuality. This, of course, is the same leader who decided to brand a certain party a group of pondans for not contesting in a by-election two years ago.

For those in school, homophobia becomes a constant cause of torment and bullying. While most Malaysian teens are capable of shrugging it off and do not bow down to the concept of teenage suicide as we see in America, it is imperative to know that such bullying will have long term scarring on a person’s psyche’.

A person’s sexual orientation nor gender has no effect whatsoever on the way they perform in their selected professions. Homophobia, however, will affect them to the point of a lacking in focus and a burden of shame caused by societal pressure that will result in a decrement to both the individual and those that surround him.

On this particular day, I just implore that we take a moment to read up on what we know about homosexuality before catering to prejudice. Malaysia has always been a land where we have learned to agree to disagree without having to resort to violence and hate speech in such a manner deemed life-threatening.

Malaysians may not agree with homosexuality. They may state so for religious reasons. However, the very same people who speak so loud against homosexuality should take note that somewhere in their family, nuclear or extended, there are gay and lesbian relatives hearing him shame them. It is a fact that you may have an uncle, an aunty, a cousin, a nephew, a niece, a son, a daughter or perhaps even your own grandchildren, who are gay. Would you cause them such emotional damage for something they have no control over?

What the LGBT community is asking for right now is a right to proper education, an acknowledgement of their existence and a right to be protected under the law, something that the transgenders have in the Federal Constitution, but not those of us with differing sexual orientations.

In other words, what we want for ourselves is the right to be recognised as human beings just like everyone else. Would you deny us even that?

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Again harangue or complain, but no lawsuits against the people who refuse to amend laws. Is Hafidz (at least well connected enough to be featured regularly here on Loyar Burok), wealthy enough, and ready to take the below results yielding actions?

A single aye or nay from all 222 MPs will determine who is liable to be included in that lawsuit that can be filed at the UN, NAM, International Criminal Court or even applications for degrees of the MPs who went nay to changing of laws to legalise and protect LGBTs. If Hafidz is serious, he will carry out the above plan (maybe alongside Pang) instead of floundering around marches. Remove the anti-LGBT MP’s degrees, damn the anti-LGBT MPs into unvotability make a massive statement that educational recognition will be denied anti-LGBT racists. The first only effective step is lawsuits against the anti-LGBT MPs and the removal of all degrees from such persons EVEN within the entire legal profession of 14,000+ lawyers and even the ‘Law Minister’ of the day. The international community of billions can crush a petty handful in Malaysia.

ARTICLE 16

The IGP must fall on his sword – THE CORRIDORS OF POWER – Friday, 18 May 2012 Super Admin

As far as Malaysians are concerned, the order to act violently against the Bersih protestors came from Najib’s office. How many, other than those in the Prime Minister’s inner circle, know that Najib actually ordered that there should be no violence and no pre-rally arrests? How many outside Najib’s office know that the IGP admitted to the Prime Minister he had lost control of the police on that day and that it was the result of the rumour regarding three police officers being killed?
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The alarm bells should have gone off in Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s office last year when the IGP, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, said that only 1% of the police officers are corrupted (READ BELOW).

30 years ago, Tan Sri Mohamed Amin Osman, the Deputy IGP, told me that if you want to clean up the police force then only 3% of the police would be left. What Tan Sri Amin meant was that 97% are corrupted. And you mean to tell me that things have improved so much since 30 years ago?

Anyway, that is not what I am saying. That is what the Deputy IGP — who later became the Acting IGP when the IGP, Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar, went to London for a year to do law — said 30 years ago.

The point is, no need to tell us how many percent of the police are corrupted. For 30 years we have been playing with percentages. Tell us how you plan to clean up the police force. No one is telling us that.

Put me in charge of the Police Force Commission (PFC) and I will do what China does. China puts a bullet in the heads of corrupt government officers and police personnel. Hudud is a walk in the park by comparison. I prefer China’s Hudud any time.

Now, read the latest Human Rights Watch report below regarding the Bersih 2.0 rally last year. That fiasco can also be ‘credited’ to the IGP. And the manner in how the police handled the Bersih 2.0 rally not only surfaced on the international radar screen and greatly embarrassed Najib’s government, but it was also the reason why many more protestors, especially the non-Malays, turned out for the Bersih 3.0 rally.

In other words, the more brutal the police act towards peaceful demonstrators, the more defiant the people would become and the more politically active they become as well.

When news broke that Bersih is, yet again, going to organise a rally in April, the IGP went running to the Prime Minister to ask him as to what to do. What the hell is going on? The IGP should be having his fingers on the pulse of the nation. He should be the one advising the Prime Minister as to what to do, not asking the Prime Minister what the police should do.

The IGP told the Prime Minister that the police could round up and detain the organisers. Najib almost flipped. “No arrests!” said Najib. “No arrests and no violence. Allow them to hold the rally.”

The IGP then briefed Najib about the secret meetings some of those Bersih ‘masterminds’ were having. According to the mole in Bersih (yes, there is a mole in Bersih) the plan was to ‘duduk bantah’. They planned to occupy Dataran Merdeka and camp there as long as it takes until the government is brought down.

The rally can be allowed, said Najib, but under no circumstances must the marchers be allowed to occupy Dataran Merdeka. Get a court order if necessary to make it illegal to occupy Dataran Merdeka. But avoid violence and no pre-rally arrests. Go by the book, Najib stressed, and avoid a repeat of the Bersih 2.0 fiasco.

Then, on 28th April 2012, all hell broke loose. The police violence in Bersih 3.0 was as bad or worse than in the Bersih 2.0 rally. What happened to the ‘go by the book’ and the ‘absolutely no violence’ instruction from the Prime Minister?

The IGP crawled back to Najib’s office with this tail between his legs and sheepishly told the Prime Minister that he had lost control of the police on that day.

What happened? What made the police go berserk?

It was because of the rumour, the IGP replied. There was a rumour circulating amongst the police that three police personnel had died, killed by the Bersih protestors. Hence the police were outraged and were out for revenge. They no longer could control the police personnel on the ground.

Three days ago, on 15th May, the IGP celebrated his 59th birthday. At 59, the IGP can be asked to retire. And for sure he should not be given an extension of service on contract, even if for just a year. The IGP should just be made to go. Ask him to go now and make him take a few months leave until retirement day.

As far as Malaysians are concerned, the order to act violently against the Bersih protestors came from Najib’s office. How many, other than those in the Prime Minister’s inner circle, know that Najib actually ordered that there should be no violence and no pre-rally arrests? How many outside Najib’s office know that the IGP admitted to the Prime Minister he had lost control of the police on that day and that it was the result of the rumour regarding three police officers being killed?

Even if three police officers had been killed as initially rumoured, that is still no excuse to lose control of the police force. Any IGP who loses control of the police force can no longer stay on as IGP. And if Najib wants to clear his name and show that the order to act violently against the Bersih 3.0 protestors did not come from him, then the IGP must be forced into retirement.

Najib must remember that back in 1998, when Anwar Ibrahim was beaten up by none other than the then IGP, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor, everyone said it was done on the instructions of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Even I, who did not like Anwar, became a staunch Anwar supporter because of the ‘black eye’ episode. I was so angry with what the police did, which I too believed was done on the instructions of the Prime Minister.

It was made worse when the IGP lied and announced that Anwar was safe when, in fact, he had been beaten up. Until today many people believe that Rahim Noor pleaded guilty and went to jail for two months to save Dr Mahathir. Dr Mahathir’s name has not been cleaned up entirely.

And the same goes with Bersih 3.0. This is going to be Najib’s ‘black eye’. Hence Najib must make the IGP pay for this. If the IGP stays, then most Malaysians will be convinced that the order to act violently against the Bersih 3.0 protestors came from the Prime Minister’s office.

If it did not, and if the IGP really lost control of his police, then he should be made to fall on his sword. There are no two ways about it. Either the IGP goes or Najib is guilty of violence on 28th April 2012. Which is it going to be?

***************************************

IGP: Malaysian police only 1% corrupt

(MSN NEWS) – Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar announced Wednesday that only one per cent of the 120,000-strong Royal Malaysian Police were ‘corrupt or involved in immoral activities’.

Although he said the number was small, Ismail was quoted by Bernama saying that the number could spread like cancer if left unchecked.

The Royal Malaysian Police also claimed that public confidence in the police regarding bribery has increased by around five per cent, according to a survey by the police and the National Key Result Area (NKRA).

Ismail has an ambition to achieve zero per cent corruption in the police force, something he considered as possible given the low numbers reported by the survey.

The police is frequently perceived by members of the Malaysian public as being susceptible to bribery. Users on social networking sites responded to the announcement with skepticism about the one per cent claim made by Ismail.

***************************************

Freedom of Expression, Assembly, and Association

(HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH) – Rights of expression, peaceful public assembly, and association —guaranteed in Malaysia’s Constitution—continued to be violated in 2011. On May 21 Bersih announced a July 9 “Walk for Democracy” to call for reform of the electoral system. In mid-June the police announced that no police permit, required by section 27 of the Police Act, would be issued for the march. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar threatened that “stern action” would be taken against anyone involved in an “illegal rally.”

Throughout June police mounted repeated shows of force, arresting activists distributing leaflets, wearing yellow Bersih shirts, or coordinating gatherings to promote the rally. On June 29 a plainclothes police unit without a warrant raided Bersih’s secretariat, confiscating Bersih materials and detaining some of those present for questioning; on July 1 the Home Ministry declared Bersih an illegal organization under the Societies Act. On the day before the march police obtained a court order prohibiting 91 rally leaders from entering downtown Kuala Lumpur. Although the thousands who eluded police blockades were peaceful and well-disciplined, but police broke up the rally using baton charges, chemically infused water cannons, and teargas barrages. Nearly 1,700 people were arrested. Journalists and ordinary citizens released photographs and video documenting much of the abuse.

On June 25, police stopped a bus carrying PSM activists to a planned rally, detaining 30 on suspicion of “preparing to wage war against the king.” They were released from pre-trial detention on July 2, but police immediately re-detained six of their leaders under the EO. All 30 were charged under the Societies Act and a section of the ISA outlawing possession of subversive documents. On September 19 the attorney general released them and on October 10, a court affirmed the release as a “discharge not amounting to an acquittal,” which makes them subject to future prosecution. On October 28, six PSM leaders were granted the same discharge.

Stop wasting time, or the International Criminal Court and PM Najib’s enemies will have a weapon to use. Grant the above 3 items, and the ‘goodness’ factor could cancel out so many people ready to ter PM Najib apart, well at least for 4 more years.

(Malaysia Digest) -The controversial group that carried out the butt-flexing exercise in front of Datuk S. Ambiga’s house has threatened to retaliate should the Bersih organizing committee reneged on its promise to not continue with the rally.

The president of Persatuan Veteran Tentera Malaysia (PVTM) Mohd Ali Bahrom pledged a “far worst demonstration should Bersih suddenly do a U-Turn and proceed with Bersih 4.0”.

“We will do something far worst than a butt-cracking exercise,” he told Malaysian Digest.

“We want to keep the peace and will do anything to retain it.”

Mohd Ali who was wearing yellow also urged Pakatan Rakyat to stop using Bersih as their tool in garnering support and momentum.

“PAS, DAP and PKR should not pressure Bersih into another rally, because their intention is not the same with Bersih which is for free and fair elections.”

Mohd Ali said the opposition coalition must accept and respect Ambiga’s decision to not organize Bersih 4.0.

“They wish for another Bersih to be staged, but they must now respect the Bersih top leadership’s decision,” he said.

“After all, what they want from another rally is just to get the momentum going for the general election.”

PAS’ Mohamad Sabu had said one million people would join the next Bersih rally in protest if Putrajaya did not implement immediate electoral reforms.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Reconsider INACTION to end apartheid Ambiga, or all the butts directed will be well deserved by Ambiga. Watching Ambiga refuse to address Malaysia’s lack of :

;is already worse than butt flexes (at least butt flexing is HEALTHY unlike UNHEALTHY neglect of apartheid. They could graffitti spray artwork butts everywhere in Ambiga’s neighbourhood or turn that neighbourhood into a red light district replete with half naked people having sex on the sidewalks and alleys, AND STILL the above 3 items would eclipse Ambiga’s inaction to end apartheid with Bersih’s mandate. The 3 items are more important than Ambiga and her vegetarianism, and Ambiga does deserve whats happening for not using that Berasih mandate to push for the above 3 items even at this point. Make Ambiga the ‘Butt’ of Malaysia’s inaction, for not ending apartheid despite massive ‘Bersih’ mandates then, Ambiga doesn’t care about the above 3 items anyway but only thinks about her vegetarianism and self glorification and who knows being a straw-woman of the hegelian dialectic.

ARTICLE 18

Reconsider ‘thosai’ plan, says Ambiga – Friday, 18 May 2012 admin-s

(Free Malaysia Today) – The Bersih co-chairperson says such actions infringe on the privacy of an individual and Malaysians must be respectful of private spaces.

Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga has asked a NGO planning to set up a thosai stall outside Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar’s house to reconsider its decision.

Despite her residence being the target of such incidents, the former Bar Council president said these actions transgressed the law and amounted to being a public nuisance.

“I strongly urge all to refrain from these acts which infringe on the privacy of an individual. I urge those who are proposing to give the thosai to make them and distribute them to charity,” she told FMT.

“Everyone must work towards making Malaysia a better place for all and we must be respectful of private spaces,” she added.

Yesterday, NGO WargaAMAN announced that it would set up the stall outside Khalid’s house in Ampang on Sunday.

WargaAman said it would distribute the thosai for free to the public in an attempt to promote the dish, which had been declared a heritage food.

Khalid, who welcomed the plan, however, suggested that it be held at a nearby field since his house was not a suitable location.

;or hand over that Bersih Mandate to people who will actually address apartheid rather than indulge in limelight and steal energy directed at ending apartheid. Act now to end apartheid, ‘rightful Perak MB Nizar sellout’ Ambiga!

CONTACT UN, CONTACT NAM – END APARTHEID. Prepare that delegation to END APARTHEID. ‘Butt Woman’ or end apartheid!

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger speaks to introduce China’s Vice President Xi Jinping to leaders from the private and public sectors at a luncheon co-hosted by the US-China Business Council and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations with the support of several cooperating organizations in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 15, 2012. (credit: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
Henry Kissinger, pat down, TSA

NEW YORK (CBSDC) — Even a Nobel Peace Prize winner can’t avoid a pat-down.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger got searched by a Transportation Security Administration employee while going through a security checkpoint at LaGuardia Airport in New York Friday, The Washington Post reports.

Kissinger, who was in a wheelchair, was told by a TSA agent that he needed to be searched.

“He stood with his suit jacket off, and he was wearing suspenders,” freelance reporter Matthew Cole told the Post. “They gave him the full pat-down. None of the agents seemed to know who he was.” Cole added that Kissinger was given “the full Monty” search.

Kissinger negotiated the Paris Peace Accords which helped bring an end to the Vietnam War.

Earlier this year, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was detained at a Nashville airport after refusing to be searched by TSA officials.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

‘Even a Nobel Peace Prize winner can’t avoid a pat-down.’ Demogoguery? EVEN?!? Even a homeless bum has a right to refuse TSA pat downs either AND rather. We don’t care if Kissinger submits to TSA, nor does this justify the existence of the TSA.

A supposed ‘personality’ submitting to a pat down by TSA in a highly publicised and high profile feature on MSM, cannot speak for 99% of people who do not want that. If 99% of the people do not want that, TSA will not exist.Vote properly moron Americans. And who cares if Congress enjoys submitting to the TSA? TSA cannot speak for anyone who does not want their privacy invaded.

Theodora as Alison Montgomery in the series “The Bold and the Beautiful”, Photo: nypost.com

The youngest daughter of the last King of Greece Constantine, Theodora has begun her career in show business.

The episodes of the soap “The Bold and the Beautiful”, which is broadcasted in hundreds of countries,
started on Monday.

The 28-year-old blond princess who uses the name Theodora Greece appears as Alison Montgomery, secretary of Bill Spencer, whose role is played by Don Diamond.

The scene is as follows: Dressed completely in pink, she appears in Bill’s office, bringing a press kit featuring an alluring photo of his daughter-in-law Steffy, for whom he still has romantic feelings.

“Mr. Spencer, I wanted to drop this off to you,” says Alison. “This is the latest press kit for Forrester’s ‘Intimate’ campaign… I know of your interest in the subject matter,” she adds.

“Yes, my son’s wife. You can just put it down here – and you can go,” answers Bill Spencer.

The spokeswoman for the soap saga that has continued for decades now said that Theodora will appear in the role of Alison in other episodes and that she will have “meatier scenes”.

Apart from “The Bold and the Beautiful”, the Princess of Greece and Denmark appears as Peggy in the big screen remake of the popular, in the 60s, TV series “The Big Valley” with Jessica Lange and Richard Dreyfuss.

Theodora also plays in the film “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” and will appear in “Little Boy”, also starring Kevin James from King Queen and Emily Watson. The film is due out next year.

The princess dreaming of a career in Hollywood was born in 1983 and she is the next to the last child of the Greek royal family. She graduated in performing arts after two years at the Northeastern University in Boston and four years at Brown University, member of the so-called Ivy League. Now, Theodora is specializing at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. In April 2010, her mother Anna Maria confirmed the information that Theodora left for Los Angeles to start a film career.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Given the right fertile Grecian virgins, King Constantinos looks like he could still father childen every night for the next 3 decades. How about a few consorts or a harem to ensure the Greek Royal line does not die out ‘Conster’? This ‘last’ Greek King article is nonsense, father humanity a pantheon of Grecian princes Constantinos! Now THAT would be truly bold and beautiful. Any young Grecian ladies up for ‘national service’ as Royal Consorts? Greece needs a prince to continue the bloodline!

ARTICLE 3

Joan tweets in fury at Theresa May over Heathrow hold-up… And look out Home Secretary, she has 68,000 followers – by James Slack – PUBLISHED: 18:05 GMT, 15 May 2012 | UPDATED: 06:57 GMT, 16 May 2012

Joan Collins yesterday joined the attack on Britain’s shambolic border controls after getting stuck in a queue of ‘thousands’ of travellers at Heathrow.

The actress took to Twitter to complain about the delays to Home Secretary Theresa May.

Her intervention – read by her 68,000 followers – came as MPs were grilling the immigration minister about continuing chaos at Britain’s ports and airports.

Globetrotter: Joan Collins at Heathrow, left, and, right, at an event at the V&A Museum in London last night

Tweeting mad: Joan Collins went online to complain as soon as she arrived back in London

Miss Collins, 78, who fronted an advertising campaign for BA in the 1980s, said: ‘Arrived LHR after great trip on @British_Airways but 1000s waiting at passport control – listen up Ms. May – need more officers!’

Miss Collins flew in on a BA flight from Los Angeles that arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5 at lunchtime. Airport staff said queues yesterday were not as bad as on Monday but they could ‘ebb and flow’.

Heathrow operator BAA said: ‘The queues have been markedly reduced in recent days since the problems at immigration became more high profile.’
Under fire: Theresa May has been attacked for cutting Border staff at Heathrow

Under fire: Theresa May has been criticised for cutting Border staff at Heathrow

Miss Collins’s comments overshadowed an attempt by ministers to get on the front foot over airport queues, which they sought to blame on a string of factors – including the wind.

Immigration minister Damian Green told the home affairs committee that even if all passport controls were fully manned, passengers could still face delays depending on the amount of time between arrivals.

He said: ‘That will depend on the wind, over which . . . airlines and the Border Force don’t have the control.’

Labour said: ‘At every turn this Tory-led Government wants to blame the wind, the weather – anything but themselves.

‘You don’t have to be a mathematician to work out that if you cut the number of staff too far too fast, it will take longer to get people through immigration.’ In his evidence session, Mr Green attached some of the blame for queues to the airlines, saying three times as many passengers arrived at Heathrow on Monday morning than were expected.

On Friday, the Border Force was told to expect 2,500 passengers between 6am and 9am on Monday. This rose to 5,000 at six hours’ notice, but in reality 7,500 passengers turned up, said Mr Green.

‘The better the information the Border Force can have from the airlines, the more likely it is the right numbers of people will be at the right desks at the right time,’ he added.

But MPs criticised the way the borders are run. Committee chairman Keith Vaz said that, on a visit to Stansted Airport, he had seen passengers queuing from the passport desks to the plane.

Logjam: Passengers at Heathrow have faced long waits as the UK Border Agency struggles to process the numbers passing through passport control

Logjam: Passengers at Heathrow have faced long waits as the UK Border Agency struggles to process the numbers passing through passport control

Just half of the desks handling EU passengers, and a quarter of those for non-EU travellers, were staffed last Sunday.

Mr Vaz said: ‘Most of these were British holidaymakers. I felt pretty ashamed as a British MP watching them . . . trying to get back into the country.’

He pointed out that special electronic gates that allow pre-screened passengers to pass through were switched off at midnight each night.

This means passengers arriving in the early hours must join the regular queue instead.

No cure-all: Immigration Minister Damian Green, pictured at Terminal 3 of Heathrow Airport, told MPs the scale of the problem would depend largely on landing times affected by wind

The runways at Heathrow will be used more flexibly for take-offs and landings in a trial aimed at cutting delays. Usually one runway is used only for take-offs, and the other for landings. But the trial, starting in July, will investigate if the runways can be used for both take-offs and landings.

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Joan ‘F—in’ Collins can well afford a private jet and a private airstrip alongside so many Alec Baldwins and Gagas. Use that money to raise yourself above the ‘masses’ who need to use the TSA dominated airport entertainer plutocrats! Meanwhile the alternative to spare the locals the TSA abuses, is to have separate local airports which serve only local-to-foreign flights from ‘international only’ airports.

Security guards detain a demonstrating activist from women’s rights organisation Femen near the Euro 2012 trophy during its unveiling to the public in central Kiev May 12, 2012. The activist was protesting against prostitution during the upcoming UEFA Euro 2012 soccer tournament. Kiev is set to host the final match of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament. – Reuters pic
KIEV, May 12 – A Ukrainian women’s rights activist stripped to the waist and seized the Euro-2012 soccer trophy while it was on public display in Kiev today in a protest against the exploitation of women during the forthcoming championship.

The young woman, 23-year-old Yulia Kovpachik, strode up to the silver trophy, which was on display as a tourist attraction in central Kiev, ostensibly to be photographed alongside it like hundreds of other sightseers.

But she then pulled down her red T-shirt to reveal the words “Fuck Euro 2012” scrawled on her chest. As she grabbed hold of the cup with both hands, she was seized by security guards, who appeared to have had advanced warning of the protest.

They covered her with a sheet and took her off to a waiting police car.

The protest appeared to be the first action in a campaign against the championship by Femen, a Kiev-based women’s rights groups which regularly stages bare-breast protests in Ukraine – and sometimes beyond – to highlight what it sees as political injustice, social abuse and the exploitation of women in Ukraine.

Femen says Euro-2012, which Ukraine is co-hosting with Poland next month with the final in Kiev on July 1, will be a magnet for sex tourists – one of the group’s main targets.

Organisers expect Euro-2012 to attract about one million foreign tourists.

Conscious of Ukraine’s growing reputation as a new destination for sex tourism, Euro-2012 organisers say they are taking steps to curb prostitution during the month-long tournament.

After Kovpachik’s protest, Femen activist Olexandra Shevchenko told reporters: “We came here today to stop this Euro fan low-life from making a bordello out of Ukraine.”

City authorities have mounted the Henri Delaunay trophy – which weighs 7.6kg and is 60 centimetres high – in a temporary display area on Kiev’s Independence Square.

Hundreds of sightseers were queuing up under the blazing sun for souvenir photographs alongside it when Kovpachik staged her demonstration.

Independence Square itself will be the centre of a huge ‘fan-zone’ during Euro-2012, capable of holding tens of thousands of football supporters. – Reuters

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

I speak for the human rights conscious Johns who would never knowingly indulge in trafficked persons, and also for the consensual or lifestyle sex workers when I say to the Ukrainian ‘topless’ activists :

a) please leave mainstream adult services industry alone and do some real work by lobbying for legalising red light districts

b) help identify abusers by posing as prostitutes or getting your friends to pose a clients to ferret out trafficked and non-consensual persons in sex work

c) developing and funding quick and easy to use disease tests

; instead of running amok while naked against those poor football fans.

The Euro Soccer John influx is the equivalent of a ‘bonus’ for sex workers in any country. The state also should legalise prostitution and give insurance and pensions to those who have gone at regular levels for checkups and worked for a set period of years or have serviced a set number of clients – every 3000 should provide a single year of pension?

In many ways these women’s contribution to society is incalculable as they give the lower earners who cannot afford marriage some form of relaxation and a who knows a geisha (temporary wife) type relationship-friendship. Something to look forward to at the end of the work shift and socialise about. This is a different form of caretaking profession, for what ails the soul of poverty, much like nurses take care of the ill. Think through on the issues properly if you want to make a difference you topless feminists! Persecuting Johns is wrong. Persecuting those identified as traffickers is right. Running around naked instead of advocating nudist zones to run around naked in is also wrong.

I’d say ‘Femen’ in appearing naked among massive crowds is expressing a hidden desire for either nudist legal zones, legalised public sex venues or sex orgy clubs. Start a legal sex club based around orgies or legalise dogging and sex booths in red light districts for Ukraine. Do some real work not foment meaningless chaos (some chaos can be meaningful, but maybe this was a cry for ‘instructions’ that I now give . . . )! Gotta love those Freudian slips! Create the spaces for everyone FEMEN, not take spaces away from society! John-space in the form of Red Light Districts for consensual sex workers and their clients is NOT trafficking and does not deserve to be lumped together via poorly thought protests like these!

ARTICLE 5

Did Time’s breastfeeding cover go too far? – May 12, 2012

Was it just a desperate attempt to sell magazines?

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

Time is overstepping into the territory of other magazines. That is the only offense. Losing focus Time? Breastfeeding is not exactly some Captain of Industry or Social or Religous figure. As for breastfeeding periods that is between mother and child to decide though if they do or do not, should not be something that is shared with the general public more so local community. TMI for some as Sandy Rios said, but no issue for others. To each their own. But Time?!? No. Time is NOT a maternity magazine.

ARTICLE 6

In the realm of the senses – Toshio Saeki, Japan’s master of erotic illustration, devours the world with his demented images of outre – by Stephen Lemons Thursday, Feb 8, 2001 8:33 PM UTC

Think of Toshio Saeki’s work as a gaping, red maw consuming all women (and some men), salivating over their bodies and licking them into a sexual frenzy before swallowing them whole, like giant pieces of sashimi (look up the term : Vore). Japanese schoolgirls in uniforms, elderly matrons with wrinkled skin, attractive young women in kimonos and the occasional horny businessman or samurai — all are sucked into Saeki’s imaginary, Jabba the Hut-like pie hole, forced down his rapacious gullet and chased back with copious quantities of sake.

Saeki, 66, is the godfather of Japanese erotica — the one illustrator in the frenetic, oversexed, comics-crazy nation whose imagination outpaces all others. For decades, the art cognoscenti of Japan and elsewhere have hailed him as a psychosexual dream weaver who traverses all taboos with oozing, bloody scenes of insatiable carnality. Now he’s being rediscovered by young adults in America and Europe for whom Japanese illustration, anime (animated cartoons) and manga (comic books) are perpetual sources of fascination.

Sexual incontinence is Saeki’s overriding theme. In collections of his drawings such as “Chimushi I & II” and “Toshio Saeki: The Early Works” (both published in Japan by Treville Co.), he has navigated the outer limits of sexual obsession with a monomaniacal intensity. In France, his monographs have sold more than 20,000 copies. And Last Gasp, Saeki’s distributor in the United States, has difficulty keeping his books in stock. “Chimushi,” a two-volume set issued in the mid-1990s, completely sold out its first run here and is now a collector’s item.

In Saeki’s bestiary, immense turtles, octopuses and slugs ravish ecstatic Japanese maidens. Japanese goblins, known as tengu, poke their crimson, Pinocchio-like proboscises into the vaginas of willing teenage girls. Pockmarked dwarfs with misshapen, encephalitic heads gangbang young virgins. And hideous, hirsute trolls gnaw on umbilical cords that are still attached to mother and child.

Just when you believe Saeki has shown you his most outré image, you turn the page and find additional macabre hallucinations of murder and lust. In one, a Japanese schoolgirl flies down a road on her bike, her haunches lifted in the air and her skirt flapping in the wind. She looks behind her in horror to see that her bicycle seat has morphed into a man’s groaning face. In another, a young woman sips green tea as she rubs the freshly decapitated head of a soldier against her genitals, his body still upright beside her. There are drawings of necrophiliacs humping corpses and of crazed onanists sawing limbs off others with which to masturbate.

Unusual sexual fantasies are certainly common in the world of Japanese manga and anime. And popular adult anime (sometimes referred to as hentai) such as “La Blue Girl,” “Imma Youjo: Erotic Temptress” and “Twin Angels” can be found on the Web as well as in video stores in major American cities.

In addition, a number of photographers and artists in Japan are renowned for their explorations of fringe sexuality. There’s Hajime Sorayama, whose cyberwomen appear regularly in Penthouse; Masaaki Toyoura, whose bondage photos can be viewed in various Larry Flynt publications; Yoshifumi Hayashi, the master of erotic pencil art, whose drawings delve into the nether regions of coprophilia; and Nobuyoshi Araki, the photographer whose book about the Tokyo sex trade, “Tokyo Lucky Hole,” is truly a pervert’s delight.

Still, Saeki is in a class all by himself. Erick Gilbert, an editor and Saeki expert at Last Gasp, points out that Saeki’s art transcends that of his contemporaries.

“It’s like the man has a direct link to his unconscious, and to the collective unconscious of the Japanese people,” says Gilbert. “He can mix myth, that dream quality and pure libido. There are very few people who do that. I remember one image of a child standing outside of his parents’ bedroom. His parents are sitting on the bed, and the man has his hands between the legs of the woman. But the woman, instead of having a vulva there, has a face, and the man’s fingers are inside its mouth. That’s a powerful image from the unconscious, the vagina dentata.”

Saeki’s work is quintessentially Japanese — from the ethnicity of his subjects to his portrayal of traditional housing with futons, tatami mats and sliding paper doors to his borrowing of various monsters from Japanese mythology. The theme of obsessive sexuality leading to madness and death is common in the film and literature of Japan, and there’s a long tradition of Japanese shunga, or erotic prints and paintings, that has been traced back at least to the ukiyo-e (floating world paintings) of the Edo period (1603-1867) in books such as “Sex and the Floating World” by Timon Screech. Screech’s book, for instance, contains shunga prints of vaginal inspections (with a cervix’s-eye view), dogs humping women and men with colossal, spurting cocks.

“If you look at Saeki’s art outside of its cultural sphere, you may be troubled by its violence. But once you go inside that cultural sphere, you know that this violence is well-understood, that ‘it’s only lines on paper,’ to quote cartoonist Robert Crumb. This extreme imagery of Japanese artists, and their characteristic need to go as far as possible, can be traced several centuries back to the so-called bloody ukiyo-e of the 19th century. A number of examples from that era are very violent — with characters being tied up and swords put to them. That’s part of this strain of art,” asserts Gilbert.

However, even in Japan, Saeki’s morbid aesthetic delicacies have earned him a reputation as an iconoclast. Speaking to me by phone from his isolated home in the mountains of Chiba prefecture, near Tokyo, Saeki explains that he has run afoul of Japanese censors in the past.

“My books have received cautions from the local government agency that monitors such things,” says Saeki. “If you receive three cautions in a year, your book is prohibited from being sold in a bookstore. Of course, my publications have been unpopular with the police, but not enough to be banned. At one time, in the late ’70s to early ’80s, I couldn’t draw the schoolgirl images that are so popular now. Publishers were afraid to publish them. The media had labeled me ‘schoolgirl Saeki.’

“Today, such images are much more accepted. I’ve been lucky to have my work published in erotic publications as well as art publications. Not all artists who do this kind of work have been accepted in both circles. Not that I’m a household name or anything. It’s interesting, when I have a new book come out, most of the fan mail my publisher receives is from doctors, lawyers and college professors. [Laughs] I find that very amusing.”

Saeki perceives himself as connected to Japan’s shunga tradition. He mentions an artist of the Meiji period, Yoshitoshi, who did the same kind of work. And he cites ukiyo-e artist Hokusai’s famous image of a woman having sex with an octopus, which he did not copy directly, he says, though he was aware of the reference he was making. But Saeki was not always a maestro of shunga art. Rather, his evolution into the most important erotic Japanese artist of his generation occurred haphazardly.

Saeki grew up mostly in Osaka. He studied art in high school, and after graduating pursued graphic design. He worked briefly for an advertising company, but disliked the job. At 24, he took off for Tokyo to try his hand at freelance illustration. With money he had saved, he holed up in a small apartment to develop his portfolio. It was then that he seriously began to create erotica.

“I did some fantasy erotic drawings and put to paper some scary dreams I remembered from my childhood. The images just flowed. During my teenage years at the art high school, many of the boys had an interest in erotic art. I was good at copying shunga, and the other boys would ask me to draw dirty pictures. I became quite popular because of it. So these images were in the back of my mind. I think it’s just my personality. When I was a teenager, there were boys who noticed when the wind blew girls’ skirts up and those who didn’t notice at all. Well, I was a boy who noticed,” says Saeki.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Saeki did illustrations for a then popular Japanese youth magazine, Heibon Punch, and from there his career took off. Galleries started showing his work, and he published his first books. Underground writers and artists hailed his outlandish creations, and to this day he retains the fanatical devotion of erotic art aficionados.

Late LSD guru Timothy Leary penned an introduction to “Chimushi I and II,” describing the artist as an “erotic engineer” who “weaves webs of designed dementia.” Yet Saeki himself realizes that his audience is limited, especially in the relatively repressed United States. But this might be changing.

“There’s a new generation interested in Japanese things now, especially Japanese animation. For instance, there’s a writer in New York who plans to use one of my paintings on a book cover, and there was a rock festival recently in California that used one as a giant backdrop,” he says. “I’m also getting more calls for gallery shows in America, so my work is receiving more exposure there now.”

I wonder aloud if Saeki is a sex maniac. After all, why does he always paint and draw images filled with sex and death?

“Hmm, why do I?” he asks, pausing for a moment. “I’ve never really thought about it. I guess I’m just mischievous and like to surprise people. I don’t really do art for self-expression. I’m more conscious of the people who see my work. I see it as a form of entertainment. It can’t be boring; it must be entertaining. The more I produce the work, the more I want to top myself each time, to shock people even more. I’m not a violent person myself. I don’t engage in the morbid acts I depict.”

Stephen Lemons is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to Salon. He lives in Los Angeles.

A night at the vibrator museum : Early vibrators were hand-cranked, two-person jobs — and prescribed by doctors. How far we’ve come since then – by Tracy Clark-Flory – Sunday, May 20, 2012 12:00 AM UTC

[A night at the vibrator museum] (Credit: Antique Vibrator Museum)

I can now say that I’ve used a turn-of-the-century vibrator — on my hand, but still.

The silver, hand-cranked contraption is usually kept behind glass at Good Vibrations’ Antique Vibrator Museum in San Francisco — but staff sexologist Carol Queen made a rare exception. “This is very special,” she whispered, unlocking the case and carefully pulling out Dr. Johansen’s Auto Vibrator, a relic from 1904. The “auto” part is not so much: It was a two-person job, with her having to crank the device’s handle to get it thrumming. Pressing my finger tips to its inch-wide circular platform of pleasure, I was pleasantly surprised by its power.

As I was by the two other vintage vibrators that I got to try out — the White Cross Electric Vibrator from 1917, which has a pronged aperture that makes it seem like the ancestor of Jimmyjane’s Form 2, and the Beautysafe Vibrator from the 1940s, which is reminiscent in look, feel and sound to a car waxer.

The U.S. release this week of “Hysteria,” a Maggie Gyllenhaal flick about a Victorian-era doctor who invents an electric massager and uses it to bring about “paroxysms” of relief in female patients with “hysteria,” seemed like a good excuse to get a private tour of the museum, which provided vibes that appear in the film, to learn about the history that’s left out of the movie’s fictionalized story line — and, of course, to try out antique pleasure devices while on the clock.

While the movie is set in the 19th century, doctors’ “manual manipulation” as a treatment for female hysteria goes back as far as the second century. “That took too long,” said Queen. “So doctors started training midwives to do it.” In Rachel P. Maines’ “The Technology of Orgasm: ‘Hysteria,’ the Vibrator, and Women’s Sexual Satisfaction,” she quotes a 1653 medical book that advises:

When these symptoms indicate, we think it necessary to ask a midwife to assist, so that she can massage the genitalia with one finger inside, using oil of lilies, musk root, crocus, or [something] similar. And in this way the afflicted woman can be aroused to the paroxysm.

Of course, this paroxysm was orgasm, but it was rarely acknowledged as such. Instead, it was said to be the exorcism of hysteria, a vague, catch-all diagnosis for female ailments thought to arise from a displaced uterus or, charmingly, a “wandering womb.” “Some of these women probably had PTSD, some of them were overworked, some of them had extreme stress in their lives, some of them almost certainly had sexual issues going on,” Queen explains. As Maines points out, “many of its classic symptoms are those of chronic arousal: Anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability, nervousness, erotic fantasy, sensations of heaviness in the abdomen, lower pelvic edema, and vaginal lubrication.” Married women were often given the prescription of sex with their husbands.

Eventually, doctors turned to technology to speed up the laborious treatment. “It started with hydraulic devices, water jets, but that really only worked well at spas,” said Queen. In 1869, an American physician patented the Manipulator, a padded table with a steam-powered vibrating mound that rested between the legs. A decade later, British physician Joseph Mortimer Granville – who’s at the center of “Hysteria,” albeit heavily fictionalized — patented a battery-operated vibrator for treatment of muscle pain. Interestingly, he was vehemently against the device being used for hysteria. He wrote, “I have avoided, and shall continue to avoid the treatment of women by percussion, simply because I do not wish to be hoodwinked, and help to mislead others, by the vagaries of the hysterical state.”

Ads selling vibrators as home appliances began to appear in women’s magazines, often showing “women in attractive nightclothes, using it on their chest,” Queen said. “You see facial massage shown from time to time.” These spots referred to them as “aids that every woman appreciates” and promised “all the pleasures of youth … will throb within you.” But when vibrators started showing up in stag films in the 1920s, the ads started to disappear, Queen says.

“Within the next 10 years or so, the doctors close up shop,” she said, perhaps in part because it became impossible to deny the sexual nature of these therapies. “In 1952, hysteria is taken out of medical books,” Queen explained. “The medical associations voted to say, ‘Nothing to see here, there’s really not a disease – no, no, no, we haven’t been treating this with clitoral and vulva massage.’”

Vibrators were still sold direct to consumers, but manufacturers made no mention of hysteria and instead “talked about body massage and vague promises of health, vigor and beauty.” The ’60s did away with the subtlety and euphemisms: Maines explains in her book, “When the vibrator reemerged during the 1960s, it was no longer a medical instrument; it had been democratized to consumers to such an extent that by the ’70s it was openly marketed as a sex aid.”

Asked whether doctors or patients saw the treatment as sexual, Queen said, “One of the schools of thought is, ‘How could they not?’ They’re touching the genitals, she starts to sweat and flail around and vocalize and her breathing changes and she gets a flush.” But others argue that “the definition of sex and sexual functioning for a woman was so associated with intercourse,” it was so male-centric, that this treatment, which was most often external, wasn’t seen as sexual. As Maines puts it, “Since no penetration was involved, believers in the hypothesis that only penetration was sexually gratifying to women could argue that nothing sexual could be occurring when their patients experienced the hysterical paroxysm during treatment.”

Paradoxically, Queen explains that hysteria was overtly linked to sex “in that they said women without husbands who were spinsters or widows or whose husbands had become incapacitated were more likely to suffer from it,” she said. “So there was a subtext of, ‘What this lady needs is a good fuck and, sadly, she can’t have one — but this is the next best thing.’” Maines attributes the demand for the treatment to two sources: “The proscription on female masturbation as unchaste and possibly unhealthful, and the failure of androcentrically defined sexuality to produce orgasm regularly in most women.”

We haven’t exactly escaped the expectation that women should be able to climax from penetration alone, but we’re slowly improving on that front — and the mainstreaming of vibrators has played a big part. That point was only driven home as I left the museum, which is located in the back of a Good Vibrations store, and walked past scores of sleek and sexy toys in every color of the rainbow, all unabashedly advertised as what they are: Tools for sexual pleasure.

mike@vibratormuseum.com is going to be a very rich person if this concept is turned into a must have franchise in every RLD worldwide . . . how’s that ‘Legalisation of RLD drive for International Cities‘ world wide movement coming along? FEMEN wanna join in on this?

ARTICLE 8

On the rack: A cultural history of breasts : Did breasts evolve for lactation or to enhance sex appeal? A new book explores why they matter – by Tracy Clark-Flory – Thursday, May 10, 2012 12:00 AM UTC

It’s hard to be boobs. Sure, breasts are cherished as givers of milk and the pinnacle of sex appeal, but the modern world hasn’t been good to mammaries.

As Florence Williams writes in “Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History,” they’re the most tumor-prone organ in the human body. They “soak up pollution like a pair of soft sponges,” and transmit environmental toxins to babies through breast milk. “Breasts are bellwethers for the changing health of people,” she says. While we’ve “genetically modified our crops to be able to protect them from the ill effects of pesticides,” Williams writes, “we haven’t yet figured out how to modify our breasts.” Aside from using saline and silicone, of course.

Speaking of, breast implants are more popular than ever: It’s the most common form of plastic surgery, above even nose jobs and liposuction. Even cosmetic enhancement notwithstanding, breasts are bigger than ever, and girls are getting them at increasingly younger ages. These recent dramatic changes are the heft of Williams’ book, although she also covers evolutionary basics, like why we have them, what they’re made of and how they work. It’s an interesting and engaging read peppered with factoids the kid from “Jerry Maguire” would no doubt appreciate (e.g., “the average breast weighs just over a pound”). Occasionally, it veers into technical territory that will put some readers to sleep, but overall it’s a much-needed look at why breasts matter more than we realize, even in our boob-obsessed society.

I spoke with Williams by phone about the myth of the perfect pair, growing bra sizes and toxic breast milk.

One of the trickiest questions posed by the book is the simple one of why breasts exist. After all of your research, where do you stand on that question?

It’s a pretty contentious debate and surprisingly so. I think both sides have some biases and also some logic behind them, but where I see it coming down is between natural selection — like, “Are these breasts for women and their babies?” — or sexual selection, as in, “Are they signals for men?” Ultimately, I really fall down on “Let’s look at how breasts work and what they’re made out of.”

So, for me, it made sense that these are naturally selected organs, which is true for mammary glands in every other mammal that we know of. There are no other mammals in which breasts are sexually selected. It just makes sense that in our deep evolutionary past we really needed those extra few percentages of fat, and breasts gave us a place to put that, and really helped gestate and lactate the human infant, which has these unique fat requirements. The mammary gland in the breast in humans is filled with estrogen receptors and those actually make fat. There’s this relationship between fat and estrogen, and where there’s estrogen, that’s going to tell cells to start storing fat, and as there’s more fat, that’s going to help make more estrogen.

So it’s possible that breasts are the result of natural selection but they also play their part in sexual selection?

Yeah, absolutely. There’s no doubt at all that a lot of men are really, really attracted to breasts! But it could be that that attraction came later or was secondary, and it’s never really been satisfactorily proven that all men in all cultures across all times are obsessed with breasts.

It so totally goes against common wisdom, but it’s common wisdom that hasn’t been proven?

It hasn’t been proven. In fact we have such strong cultural biases about breasts that it’s easy to see how some of these anthropologists may just be projecting their own beliefs back into evolutionary times, and that’s just a classic no-no. We don’t really have fossil evidence of when breasts evolved because you can’t dig up a fossil of an early human and know what her cup size was.

So, there’s no “perfect” breast in terms of male sexual preference?

Well, certainly Hollywood and plastic surgeons would like us to believe that there’s a universally preferred large breast, but the evidence just doesn’t really bear that out. There are a lot of men out there who like small- or medium-size breasts, and there are some men out there who don’t seem particularly interested in breasts. In fact, breasts are so varied in humans that if there really was this evolutionary or even sexually selected preference for large breasts, you’d think we’d see a lot more of them. Women with small breasts are just as capable of nursing infants and that’s why those traits persisted.

Speaking of plastic surgeons: You actually had one evaluate your own breasts for the book. What was that like?

It was really bizarre and funny. I always thought my breasts were sort of perfectly fine. I kind of went in there thinking, “Oh, he’s gonna tell me that, ‘Congratulations, your breasts are fine,’ because he’s this great judge of breasts and presumably he’s seen all these incredible deformities.” I walk in there and take off my robe and he squeezes me and squishes me and pulls out a measuring tape and gives his final pronouncement, “Well, let me just say you would be a perfect candidate for augmentation.” I had to just crack up. So much of that industry is about the soft sell — they’re just so good at making women think that they’re not good enough the way they are.

When did breast implant mania really begin?

The first silicon breast implant was performed in 1962, so 50 years ago. It was up and running pretty quickly after that. It was particularly popular among women who made their living onstage — the go-go dancers and the burlesque dancers and the topless dancers and then Hollywood. Eventually it leaked into the broader culture, and certainly by the ’70s and ’80s women were going for this. Then there was the implant scare of the ’90s, in which a lot of women had problems with their implants, and the FDA actually banned them for 14 years. But now they’re back; they’ve never really been proven to be linked to disease or cancer. In fact, more women are getting implants now than ever before — over 300,000 a year.

And breasts are getting bigger in general, not simply because of plastic surgery. What’s going on there?

The main factor there is, of course, the American diet. Women’s bodies are getting bigger and their breasts are getting bigger along with it. Men are getting bigger, too! In fact, men are getting breasts more often and male breast reduction surgery is becoming more and more popular.

There also may be other factors at play that have to do with hormones in food and birth control pills and in hormone replacement therapy, and of course we have all these estrogenic chemicals in our environment. All of those things appear to be interacting with our breasts on some level.

I would say similar reasons. We don’t know for sure, but it appears that diet is the major factor there. Girls are sort of undergoing what’s sometimes called over-nutrition. A third of kids now are overweight or obese. You’re also seeing skinny girls getting breasts earlier, so the obesity theory does not seem to fully explain the phenomenon. There are researchers out there that have tried to examine the role of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, but the jury is still out.

Turning to the function of breasts for feeding infants, one of the purposes of breasts that’s not actually up for debate: How and why did lactation evolve?

Lactation evolved 200 million years ago, even before there were mammals as such. It evolved in the precursor to mammals, probably not as a food but as an anti-infection substance. It helped fight pathogens and helped the immune system, and many of those qualities have been conserved. Breast milk today is not just filled with nutritional substances but it’s filled with these immune system-boosting substances that scientists are just beginning to understand. There are proteins and enzymes and complex sugars that are really quite amazing at inhibiting parasites and killing E.coli on contact. It also seems to be filled with bacteria too, and so it may be inoculating the infant’s immune system or educating it as to which bacteria are good and which are bad.

It’s an amazing, complex, highly evolved substance. It’s the only food on the planet that’s really meant to be eaten by humans.

It seems that nearly everything breast-related is controversial and lactation is no exception. What’s your position on the breast-is-best debate?

Really, throughout human history there have been women who just didn’t want to breast-feed, and I totally get it. Breast-feeding can be really hard. One of the earliest professions was not prostitution but actually being a wet nurse.

Certainly in Western societies it’s really safe to be raised on formula. Where you see the more dramatic benefits from breast milk are with preemies; they do much, much better. When you go to developing countries where the water isn’t safe, formula isn’t a great option, and you can really use these extra immune-boosting benefits because of these pathogen rich environments. It makes sense from a public health standpoint to really advocate breast milk in developing countries. In our country, what would be great is to really support women who want to breast-feed through better workplace policies.

We see negative entities in breast milk as well. The weight of the book is devoted to ways that our breasts are, as you write, “the catchment for our environmental trespasses.” Why are we seeing toxins show up in breasts and breast milk, of all places?

A lot of these substances, if they exist in the breast they also exist in the blood and in a lot of cells in our body. But many of them are attracted to fat and our breasts are among the fattiest organs we have next to our brains. So breasts are these soft sponges and they soak up a lot of things in our environment. They’re incredibly good at converting these substances into breast milk. It’s a little creepy.

What about the transmission to nursing babies?

It appears that the benefits of breast milk still by far outweigh the risks, and even though we have these unnatural substances in our breast milk it still exists for the most part in small quantities. Nonetheless, we don’t really understand what the health effects of this are. It seems wise to look harder at these chemicals. If they’re not proven safe, maybe we should try to use something else. It would be great to provide greater incentives for manufacturers to put safer chemicals on the marketplace.

I’m so curious what you think of sexualized attempts at raising awareness about breast cancer — ads like the “Save the Boobs” PSA, which pictured a pair of bouncing bikini-clad breasts, and the explosion of “I (heart) boobies” bracelets.

I guess the sexualization of breasts is a reality and we’re not going to change that any time soon. I did like that those ads tried to reach a younger audience, so there you have it. Breasts are filled with contradictions and conflicting messages, but the more we can understand their complexity and appreciate that complexity, the (psychologically) healthier we’ll be down the road.

Korean pornstar Minkaxxx poses size KKK polypropylene breast implants . . . in a few years the next generation of pornstars will be GROWING 100% natural flesh and blood implants from their own cells . . . somethings (breasts) never go out of vogue . . . (photo copyright belongs to respective owners) Minka has left an impressive body of work and at a stated age of 51 and probably has retired . . . how about setting up a Playboy mansion in Korea’s RLD eh?

Marchers make their way along a street in downtown Moscow during a demonstration led by opposition literary activists. Around 10 000 people took part, skirting the law by remaining silent and carrying no posters.

Moscow – Almost 10 000 people staged a mass “stroll” through central Moscow on Sunday to test the state’s tolerance a week after police beat and scattered demonstrators upset over Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency.

With few police in evidence, demonstrators gathered at a statue of revered poet Alexander Pushkin and walked down Moscow’s Boulevard Ring to the site of an Occupy-style, 24-hour protest two kilometres away. Police took no action.

“We are all here because we want justice in the country, we want an honest transition of power, we don’t want a throne succession,” said Nina, 45, a foreign language teacher who gave only her first name.

President from 2000-2008 and prime minister until his inauguration to a six-year Kremlin term on May 7, Putin has angered Russians who want change and fear the continuation of his rule will bring stagnation and repression.

Some 10 000 people turned out for the “test stroll”, some wearing white ribbons reading “Russia without Putin”.

It took place a week after police clashed with demonstrators on the eve of Putin’s May 7 inauguration, beating some on the head with batons in the worst violence since a series of protests started in December.

Riot police detained more than 400 people at the May 6 protest and hundreds more on inauguration day, when they cleared streets near the path of Putin’s convoy of peaceful protesters and bystanders, and grabbed people sitting at a sidewalk cafe.

Following the crackdown, Boris Akunin, a popular detective novelist who has become a Kremlin critic, called for the event on Sunday to test whether Muscovites would be allowed to peacefully walk in their city.

The unsanctioned mass walk snarled traffic – and a woman handing out white ribbons advertised them as “free tickets to a police van ride” – but police left demonstrators alone and there were no reports of detentions.

“There are no police vans here, no police, no helicopters. They really let us walk free in the city now,” said Nina.

Demonstrators ended their walk at the site of a round-the-clock protest dubbed Occupy Abai, named after a monument to a Kazakh poet that is its focal point. Akunin was met with applause at the monument and declared the stroll a success.

“We can all congratulate each other, we have re-established a law. In Russia, there is a law protecting demonstrations,” Gennady Gudkov, a lawmaker with the opposition Just Russia party, told the crowd. “It was forgotten and now it is revived.”

The turnout on Sunday will please opposition leaders eager to maintain momentum, but the fate of the round-the-clock protest – where the crowd has numbered from dozens to 2 000 – is unclear.

Putin, 59, has largely ignored the unrest that greeted his inauguration, the latest since anger boiled over in December over allegations of fraud in a parliamentary election.

But his spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has been quoted as saying that the police had acted too softly and has hinted the round-the-clock protest could be dispersed.

Gudkov’s son, Dmitry, also a lawmaker, invited people to meet on Tuesday by a Karl Marx monument near the Kremlin and said the round-the-clock protest would continue until at least June 12, when the next big opposition rally is planned. – Reuters

[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]

The same 10,000 people should go round collecting voters to displace MPs who put Putin in power. What does this march achieve? Nothing on paper, nothing in black and white. Please use the legal and binding method. Marching peacefully or violently really does nothing legally! Civilisation and ousting of dictators is via laws, not migrations and cirumambulations.